Intentional Tech Bainbridge is asking the BISD Board of Directors to commit to two specific actions before the next school year begins, and to adopt five additional commitments, through a dedicated Intentional Technology resolution, alongside the Strategic Plan, or within it.
The two actions below are within the board's authority to direct and the district's responsibility to deliver.
Two asks. Both are within the board's authority to direct. Both produce changes the community can see and evaluate before the start of the next school year.
Direct the district to remove tablets and laptops from routine K-2 classroom instruction before the start of the next school year, except where these devices provide specific assistive or accessibility support.
The research base on early-grade screen exposure is the strongest and most settled in the EdTech literature. Print reading, handwriting, and the foundational developmental skills built in K-2 are not replicated by screen-based activities. The evidence is clear, and it points the same direction as the parent and clinical voices that have joined the coalition.
The Los Angeles Unified School District passed a parallel commitment on April 21, 2026, with its "Using Technology with Intention" resolution. Policy is due in June, with implementation by the start of the 2026-27 school year. The same timeline is achievable here.
Direct the district to publicly answer the 12 questions documented at intentionaltechbi.org.
Families need to know what is happening in classrooms now, before the district sets direction for the next several years. Without that baseline, parents have no way to evaluate whether the changes the district makes are meaningful.
The 12 questions cover screen time, instruction, accountability, EdTech inventory, vetting standards, data privacy, resource allocation, and process for reassessment. They are published at intentionaltechbi.org and available as a shared Google Doc.
Update: On May 13, Superintendent Thompson provided preliminary written responses to the 12 questions and 5 commitments, prepared with the incoming Director of Instructional Technology. The district has described these as initial, not complete. Read the district's preliminary response (PDF), or see the full exchange on our correspondence page.
These five commitments are the structural pieces. They address the three dimensions of intentional technology use: knowing what is happening, setting limits where the evidence supports them, and ensuring the supporting curriculum is in place.
Developmentally appropriate thresholds for the introduction of devices, software platforms, and AI-enabled tools, beginning with the K-2 commitment above and extending the same research-informed approach to all grade bands.
A public inventory of all EdTech tools, platforms, and AI-enabled products in use, including a published evidence basis and vetting standard for each.
A baseline measurement of current student screen time, with annual reduction targets reported publicly. Reporting should distinguish between different types of screen-based activity, such as passive consumption, instructional use, and assessment.
Research-informed ceilings on daily and weekly screen time by grade level, with a published policy and implementation timeline. Ceilings ensure no classroom exceeds what the evidence supports, regardless of trend.
A named staff role and published scope and sequence for Information, Media, and Technology Literacy instruction.
We are not asking for net new spending. These commitments require measurement, transparency, and structure within what the district already does, with implementation phased where specific materials are needed. The Strategic Plan is one place this work can be addressed. It is not the only place. The board can act on what the community is asking for through the plan, alongside it, or in a separate resolution. The path matters less than the action.
Districts and education systems have already moved on classroom technology and screen time. Our board packet documents this precedent alongside the full evidence base behind our asks.
Board packet: The complete case we have brought to the board, including peer-district precedent, the research base, and our specific asks, is available in one document. Read the board packet (PDF).
Emailing the board is one of the most effective ways to be heard. Personal messages from constituents carry more weight than form letters or petition signatures. Pick the version below that fits your time and voice. Add your own experience, your school, your children's grade levels, and any specific concerns you want to share. Send to all five board members at once.
Short (2 minutes). Two sentences and your name.
Personal (5 minutes). A few sentences in your voice, plus a menu of commitments to choose from.
Full (10 minutes). The complete letter with all five commitments.
Professional. For physicians, mental health professionals, educators, and others working with children and families.
Dear Directors,
I am a [parent at (school) / community member on Bainbridge]. [One sentence in your own voice: what you are asking for, what concerns you, or what you want to see.] I ask the board to treat screen time, EdTech transparency, and information and media literacy as priorities that reflect what the community and the research have already said.
Thank you for your service.
[Your name]
[Your neighborhood or school]
The bracketed personal sentence is the one non-optional element. Without it, the email is too thin to add anything to the board's inbox. Keep it short and specific.
Dear Directors,
I am a [parent at (school) / community member on Bainbridge], and I am writing about classroom technology in our schools.
[One to three sentences in your own voice. What you have seen, what you are worried about, what you would like to see. Specific is stronger than general.]
The district's November 2025 community survey identified reducing screen time as the top priority, excessive screen time as the top challenge to student learning, and information and media literacy as the top curriculum need. The board can act on that through a dedicated Intentional Technology resolution, alongside the Strategic Plan, or within it.
Here are the commitments that community members like me are asking the board to make.
[List the commitments that matter most to you, in your own words or using ours as a starting point. Delete any that don't apply. Add your own.]
Thank you for your service and for your consideration.
[Your name]
[Your neighborhood or school]
Use the suggestions above or write your own. Delete what does not apply. A board member reading many of these will see which commitments supporters are prioritizing.
Dear Directors,
I am a [parent of students at (school name) / community member on Bainbridge], and I am writing about classroom technology in our schools.
The district's November 2025 community survey identified reducing screen time as the top priority, excessive screen time as the top challenge to student learning, and information and media literacy as the top curriculum need. Peer-reviewed research supports the same direction. I am asking the board to act on both, through a dedicated Intentional Technology resolution, alongside the Strategic Plan, or within it.
Before the next school year begins, I ask the board to direct the district to:
I ask the board to commit to the following:
These commitments do not require net new spending. They ask the district to prioritize transparency, measurement, and structure, with implementation phased where specific materials are needed.
Thank you for your service and your consideration.
[Your name]
[Your school or neighborhood]
For physicians, mental health professionals, educators, and others who work with children and families. Your professional perspective carries particular weight with the board.
Dear Directors,
I am a [pediatrician / clinical social worker / educator / pediatric therapist / etc.] practicing on Bainbridge Island, and [a BISD parent / a community member]. I am writing in both capacities about classroom technology in our schools.
[Two to four sentences drawing on your professional experience. What you are observing in your practice or classroom. What research in your field supports. Your direct professional observation is the value here. Do not overclaim beyond your scope.]
The district's November 2025 community survey identified reducing screen time, addressing technology and social media as challenges to learning, and strengthening information and media literacy as top community priorities. The research supports the same direction.
Before the next school year begins, I ask the board to direct the district to remove tablets and laptops from routine K-2 classroom instruction, except where devices provide specific assistive or accessibility support. The research on early-grade screen exposure is the strongest and most settled in this literature, and the same developmental concerns I see in my practice point the same direction.
I ask the board to commit to the following:
These commitments do not require net new spending. They ask the district to prioritize transparency, measurement, and structure, with implementation phased where specific materials are needed.
I am available to speak with any board member or administrator who would find a professional perspective useful.
Respectfully,
[Your name], [Credentials]
[Practice or institution, if comfortable]
[Neighborhood]
The board's contact information is public. Emailing all five at once ensures the full board sees your message.
Meetings are held at the BISD Board Room, 9530 High School Road NE, and streamed on Zoom. Public comment is three minutes per speaker.
Board meetings are generally held on Thursdays at 5:45 p.m. Upcoming dates and agendas are posted on BoardDocs.
In-person speakers sign in at the start of the meeting. Zoom speakers must sign up by 4 p.m. the day of the meeting by emailing lchaffee@bisd303.org.
For the ongoing exchange with district leadership about these asks, see our correspondence.
These are your elected representatives. The decision is theirs to make.