Elementary students in the Rye City School District spend up to 45 minutes a day on district-issued Chromebooks, and middle and high school students up to 90 minutes, according to figures reported by the Rye Record from the district's spring internet-use audit.

Those numbers are driving a policy shift. Superintendent Dr. Patricia Murray said the district is moving toward pencil-and-paper learning as the classroom default, with screens reserved for moments when they serve a clear instructional purpose.

"I honestly think that COVID put technology in the hands of kids probably a little too early," Murray said in a June 25 podcast interview on MyRye.com. "And I think that was like a pendulum that swung one way for a reason. And now I think we need to bring it back a little bit."

The audit was presented to the Board of Education on Tuesday, June 16 by Dr. Kaitlyn Sassone, the district's director of technology, and Lauren Santabarbara, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment. Their presentation covered vetted platforms, the top 10 unapproved apps students tried to access, grade-level time allocations, and single-day and weekly snapshots of device use. All seven board members were present.

Parent concerns go beyond personal phones, which are already banned from New York classrooms under state law. Six community members spoke during the June 16 public comment period, and board discussion referenced complaints about gaming on school Chromebooks, access to restricted apps, and the sheer volume of screen-based instruction across grade levels.

Murray said the district's content filter is blocking attempts to reach restricted sites like YouTube and described it as "pretty robust." But she acknowledged the broader issue is how much total time students spend on screens for routine classwork, not just whether filters catch bad actors.

The district's goal is to finalize K-12 technology best practices and distribute them to teachers and parents before school resumes in September. Murray said she is working with teachers and instructional coaches on the shift.

The board also approved a $3,100 gift from the nonprofit Half the Story at its June 2 meeting to support a digital wellness initiative at Rye High School.

Murray said she plans to hold a community coffee in September to check whether the new practices are working once the school year is underway.