Key Takeaways
- North Dakota’s Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has launched a statewide survey to gather feedback on possible reforms to school‑issued technology policies.
- Superintendent Levi Bachmeier aims to use the results to create consistent, responsible device use across all districts.
- The 2025 legislative session banned cellphones during the school day, a move that has been widely praised but shifted student screen time to laptops and tablets.
- The survey asks about elementary‑grade restrictions, take‑home device bans, built‑in make‑up days before virtual instruction, and whether the state should require monitoring software on devices.
- While some districts already use monitoring tools, policies are inconsistent, and Bachmeier hopes to identify best practices to apply statewide.
- Senator Michelle Axtman stresses that any reforms should enhance learning, not eliminate technology, and support interpersonal and critical‑thinking skills.
- Proposed changes could be introduced in the 2027 legislative session and take effect for the 2027‑28 school year.
- The survey is open to all North Dakota students, parents, educators, and community members through August 1, 2026.
Survey Launch and Purpose
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction unveiled a new survey on May 28, 2026, inviting statewide input on how students use technology in schools. Superintendent Levi Bachmeier, who assumed the state’s top education post in November 2025, emphasized that the feedback will guide policymakers toward reforms that make school‑issued devices a learning aid rather than a distraction. By collecting perspectives from students, parents, teachers, and community members, the DPI hopes to identify gaps in current practices and develop uniform expectations that promote responsible technology use across the state’s diverse districts.
Cellphone Ban Outcomes
During the 2025 legislative session, North Dakota enacted a ban on cellphone use throughout the school day. Superintendent Bachmeier reported that the prohibition has received a near‑universal positive response in its first year, noting improvements in classroom focus and reduced disruptions. However, the ban also prompted an unintended side effect: many students redirected their screen time from personal phones to the laptops and tablets issued by their schools. This shift highlighted the need to examine how school‑provided devices are managed to ensure they support, rather than hinder, educational goals.
Shift to School‑Issued Devices
As students moved away from personal cellphones, school‑issued laptops and tablets became the primary tools for accessing educational content, YouTube, and social media during school hours. Bachmeier observed that while these devices are essential for modern instruction, they can be just as addictive as substances when used without clear boundaries. The survey therefore seeks to understand how districts currently regulate device usage, what restrictions are effective, and where additional guidance may be needed to keep technology focused on learning objectives.
Survey Question Areas
The questionnaire covers several key policy areas. It asks whether elementary schools should implement stricter limits on device use, such as time caps or content filters. Another section explores the feasibility of prohibiting students from taking school‑issued laptops or tablets home, aiming to curb after‑hours distractions. The survey also probes interest in building make‑up days into the academic calendar before resorting to virtual instruction, ensuring that in‑person learning remains the default whenever possible. Finally, it gauges support for a statewide requirement that districts install monitoring software on all school‑issued devices to track usage patterns.
Current Monitoring Practices
Bachmeier acknowledged that some North Dakota districts already employ monitoring software to oversee how students interact with their devices, but implementation is patchy. “It’s inconsistent,” he said, explaining that while certain schools benefit from detailed usage reports, others lack any formal oversight. The survey aims to identify which monitoring approaches are most effective and least intrusive, with the goal of establishing a baseline standard that can be adopted uniformly, thereby giving educators reliable data to intervene when device use detracts from academic work.
Legislator Perspectives
Senator Michelle Axtman (R‑Bismarck), a sponsor of several education bills in the 2025 session, echoed the DPI’s stance that technology should serve learning, not compete with it. She argued that any forthcoming reforms must enhance instructional quality, support student achievement, and foster interpersonal and critical‑thinking skills. Axtman cautioned against outright bans, advocating instead for balanced policies that integrate technology purposefully while protecting students from overuse and distraction. She indicated that concrete legislative proposals could emerge in the 2027 session, with rules taking effect for the 2027‑28 academic year.
Implementation Timeline
If the survey yields clear consensus, the DPI envisions translating findings into legislative action during the 2027 session. New statewide expectations for school‑issued device use would then be drafted, voted on, and signed into law, allowing districts a full academic year to adapt their policies, purchase necessary software, and train staff. This timeline aims to give schools sufficient preparation while ensuring that any changes are grounded in broad stakeholder input rather than rushed mandates.
Who Can Participate and How
The survey is accessible to any North Dakota resident with an interest in K‑12 education—students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members alike. Responses can be submitted online through the DPI’s portal, and the window for participation remains open until August 1, 2026. By encouraging widespread engagement, the department hopes to capture a nuanced picture of technology use across urban, rural, and tribal schools, ultimately shaping policies that reflect the diverse needs and aspirations of the state’s learners.