North Dakota education and state leaders launched a statewide survey to gather public input on responsible technology-use policies in K-12 classrooms, the Department of Public Instruction said in May 28 press release.
The survey, which is open through Aug. 1, asks parents, educators, students, and community members how technology should support learning. State officials said the feedback will help guide potential policy recommendations ahead of the 2027 legislative session.
State Sen. Michelle Axtman, State Rep. Jim Jonas, State Superintendent Levi Bachmeier, Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden, and North Dakota first lady Kjersti Armstrong announced the effort.
The survey builds on work tied to the state’s 2025 phone-free schools legislation, which requires districts to restrict student cellphone use during the school day.
“Based on feedback from educators, parents, and students, it’s clear the cell phone ban has done what we expected it to do – keep the focus in school on learning. Yet we know there’s more work to be done,” Jonas said.
Bachmeier said technology use was a recurring issue during his visits to school districts this spring.
“Across our state, students, families, and educators consistently tell me that educational technology should be a tool, not a toy. They want to ensure technology supports meaningful instruction while reducing distractions that come from passive use,” Bachmeier said.
Questions in the survey include:
- Should there be restrictions on the number of allowable hours of device use at school at the elementary level?
- Should there be a prohibition on students taking devices home unless there’s a specific educational purpose?
- Should districts be required to adopt policies on how educational technology and student devices are and are not used in the classroom?
- How many built-in make-up days should districts include in their annual calendar before utilizing virtual instruction that counts toward the state-required number of instructional hours?
- Should the state procure and require districts to use monitoring software to better enable parents and educators to see how and how often students are using school-issued devices?
“Our responsibility is not to ban innovation, but to govern it wisely. Schools across North Dakota need clear, modern standards for how technology is used in today’s classrooms,” Axtman said.
The survey comes as state and local education leaders nationwide continue to weigh how schools can reduce digital distractions while preserving students’ access to technology skills and instructional tools.
“The phone-free schools legislation was a monumental first step to support student learning, improve relationships, and address mental health,” Strinden said. “This survey is the next logical step to help find a balance that supports our children, families, and communities – to better understand the use of school-issued devices and what is developmentally appropriate technology use.”
The survey is available on the Department of Public Instruction’s website and Facebook page.
