Key Takeaways
- North Dakota’s Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has launched a statewide survey to gather input on possible reforms to school‑issued technology policies.
- Superintendent Levi Bachmeier emphasizes that devices should be “tools, not toys,” and notes their addictive potential comparable to substances.
- The 2025 legislative cellphone ban during school hours has been widely praised and has shifted some student device use from personal phones to school laptops or tablets.
- Survey topics include elementary‑grade device restrictions, prohibiting taking devices home, integrating make‑up days before virtual instruction, and whether the state should mandate monitoring software on all school‑issued devices.
- Current monitoring‑software practices vary by district; Bachmeier aims to identify best practices and apply them uniformly across the state.
- Senator Michelle Axtman (R‑Bismarck) stresses that any reforms must enhance instruction, support learning, and foster interpersonal and critical‑thinking skills rather than simply removing technology.
- Proposed changes could be introduced in the 2027 legislative session and take effect for the 2027‑28 school year; the survey remains open to students, parents, educators, and community members through August 1.
Background of the Survey Initiative
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (DPI) unveiled a new survey aimed at capturing statewide perspectives on how students use technology in schools. Superintendent Levi Bachmeier, who assumed the state’s top education post in November, explained that the survey’s results will guide policymakers considering reforms to school‑issued device policies. Speaking at his first student Cabinet meeting, Bachmeier recounted a Mandan freshman’s comment that devices ought to serve as a “tool, not a toy,” highlighting the need for purposeful technology use rather than distraction.
Rationale Behind Focusing on Device Use
During a press conference Thursday, Bachmeier warned that the digital world students inherit demands responsible technology use, yet acknowledged that school‑issued devices can be as addictive as substances. He drew a parallel between the allure of a school laptop or tablet and the compulsive pull of a personal cellphone, underscoring that both can impede learning if left unchecked. This concern motivated the DPI to seek concrete data on current practices and potential mitigations.
Impact of the 2025 Cellphone Ban
North Dakota enacted a statewide ban on cellphone use during the school day in the 2025 legislative session. Bachmeier reported that the ban has garnered a near‑universal positive response in its first year. By removing personal phones from the classroom, many students migrated to their school‑issued laptops or tablets to access platforms such as YouTube and social media. This shift revealed a gap: while cellphones were curtailed, the same distracting behaviors sometimes persisted on school devices, prompting the need for broader technology‑use policies.
Core Questions Included in the Survey
The survey probes several specific policy areas. It asks respondents about appropriate restrictions on device usage in elementary schools, whether students should be prohibited from taking devices home, and how to incorporate built‑in make‑up days into the school calendar before resorting to virtual instruction. Additionally, it explores whether the state should require all districts to install monitoring software that tracks student technology usage. These questions aim to balance educational benefits with safeguards against overuse and distraction.
Current State of Monitoring Software
Bachmeier acknowledged that some North Dakota districts already employ monitoring software on school‑issued devices, but the implementation is inconsistent across the state. He described the situation as a patchwork, noting that the lack of uniformity makes it difficult to ensure equitable protection and accountability for all students. The superintendent expressed a desire to identify the most effective existing practices and scale them statewide, creating a cohesive approach to technology oversight.
Legislative Perspective from Senator Axtman
Senator Michelle Axtman (R‑Bismarck), who sponsored multiple education bills during the 2025 session, echoed the need for thoughtful reform. She clarified that the objective is not to eliminate technology from education but to ensure it serves learning rather than competes with it. Axtman argued that any policy changes should enhance instruction, support student learning, and promote the development of interpersonal and critical‑thinking skills. She anticipates that concrete proposals could emerge in the 2027 legislative session, with implementation slated for the 2027‑28 school year.
Vision for a Focused, Productive, and Healthier Learning Environment
Both Bachmeier and Axtman envision a future where clear statewide expectations for school‑issued device use help schools cultivate environments that are more focused, productive, and healthier for students. By aligning technology policies with educational goals, they hope to reduce distractions, mitigate addictive tendencies, and harness digital tools as genuine aids to learning. The survey, open to any North Dakota student, parent, educator, or community member through August 1, represents a critical step toward gathering the diverse input needed to shape those future policies.