With Canyons School District classes starting Monday, Aug. 17, the Board of Education heard a national ed-tech leader argue Tuesday, Aug. 11, that how schools use screens matters more than how long kids stare at them.

Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Transforming Education (ISTE) and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), presented on evidence-based screen use in schools, according to the board's study session agenda. The session came one week after the board approved a bell-to-bell phone ban for middle schools.

Who is Culatta?

Culatta previously served as executive director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education under President Obama and as chief innovation officer for Rhode Island. He holds a master's in educational psychology and technology from Brigham Young University.

He has been a vocal critic of blanket screen bans, including Utah's own HB 273. In an April op-ed in The 74, he argued that such bills treat entertainment media and research-based educational tools as if they are the same thing.

In a Chalkbeat Q&A published Aug. 6, Culatta said: "It's almost entirely about how the technology is used. In some cases, we have kids just clicking next through PowerPoint, and that's terrible learning. That's just the equivalent of a worksheet on a screen."

State law looms

The presentation lands as Canyons navigates Utah's HB 273, signed March 18 and effective July 1. The law prohibits nearly all screen time in K-3 classrooms, with narrow exceptions for computer science standards and standardized testing. Grades 4-6 must balance instructional technology with teacher-led and print-based methods. Students with IEPs or 504 plans are exempt.

The State Board of Education must publish a model technology-use policy by Dec. 1. Districts, including Canyons, must adopt their own compliant policy by July 1, 2027.

AA417 revisions still pending

Superintendent Anthony Godfrey also led continued discussion on revisions to Administrative Policy AA417. The agenda described a recommendation to split the current policy into separate policies for each school level, building on changes first proposed at the June 9 study session.

The agenda listed a "potential vote to finalize the revisions." Whether the board voted, and what it decided, has not been confirmed.

What else was on the table

The board reviewed proposed updates to the Student Information Network Acceptable Use Policy, presented by Director of Information Systems Michael Heaps. Final approval was deferred to the next business meeting. District Athletic Director Bryan Veazie and Administrator of Schools Brad Sorensen presented an informational review of athletic requirements. No action was required.

As we reported Aug. 5, the board approved a $27-a-year tax increase for homeowners and the middle school phone ban at its Aug. 4 meeting. The screen-time presentation and AA417 discussion represent the next steps in the district's broader technology policy overhaul.

Canyons must finalize its HB 273-compliant screen policy by July 1, 2027. The board's next business meeting date was not listed on the Aug. 11 agenda.