More and More Schools Are Souring on Chromebooks

A Kansas middle school that once handed every student a Chromebook is now rolling them back, and it's part of a wider rethinking of classroom tech. The New York Times reports on how McPherson Middle School banned cellphones four years ago, then discovered that YouTube, games, and even online bullying had simply migrated to school-issued laptops. This winter, the school had all of its nearly 500 students turn in their devices. Now, Chromebooks live in classroom carts, used briefly and only when teachers say so, with note-taking and much of classwork returning to paper. "We just felt we couldn't have Chromebooks be that huge distraction," says Inge Esping, the school's principal, who was selected as Kansas' middle school principal of the year in 2025. "This technology can be a tool. It is not the answer to education."

The shift, dubbed "Chromebook remorse," isn't isolated. After years of one-device-per-child policies promoted by Google, Apple, and Microsoft—and tens of billions in spending to make that happen—research has found little evidence that laptops and learning apps boost grades or graduation rates. Some studies, and groups like UNESCO, are even cautioning that heavy tech use can actually undermine learning, including by causing distractions. Districts in states such as North Carolina, Michigan, Maryland, and Virginia are now reassessing their tech policies and structures, while lawmakers in at least 10 states weigh limits on classroom screen time and stricter vetting of educational tech. More here for the full picture and voices from the inside.