House Bill 584 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jeana RossRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Public education; screen-based instruction limited in kindergarten through fifth grade, State Board of Education required to adopt standards, Elementary Instructional Technology Task Force established

Summary

HB584 would limit screen-based instruction in kindergarten through fifth grade, require standards from the State Board, and create a task force to guide how screens are used in elementary schools.

What This Bill Does

The bill would require the State Board of Education to adopt developmentally appropriate, research-based standards for screen-based instruction in K-5, and these standards must reflect the recommendations of the Elementary Instructional Technology Task Force. The task force would develop grade-band recommendations, review research, and advise the board, with annual reviews and updated recommendations as needed; the board must include these recommendations in the standards. Local boards would adopt policies aligned with the standards, and the Department would oversee compliance and publish an annual progress report to the Governor and Legislature. The bill also sets time limits and exceptions for screen use and requires vision breaks and off-screen activity.

Who It Affects

• Kindergarten through fifth-grade students who would experience limits on screen time and guidance on screen use.
• Teachers and school staff who would implement the standards and adapt instruction accordingly.
• Local boards of education and the Alabama Department of Education responsible for policy adoption, implementation, and compliance.
• Parents and guardians who may see changes in how screens are used in elementary classrooms.
• Governor and Legislature who would receive annual progress reports on screen-based instruction.

Key Provisions

• Adopt developmentally appropriate, research-based standards for screen-based instruction in K-5 by the State Board of Education.
• Standards must reflect the Elementary Instructional Technology Task Force recommendations.
• Screen-based instruction must be supplementary to core instruction and not replace phonics, handwriting, physical texts, manipulatives, or teacher-led discussion.
• Total screen time should not routinely exceed two hours per day unless clear educational value and adult facilitation; include breaks after 20 minutes and encourage off-screen activity.
• Exceptions include assistive technology under IEP/504 plans, state or federal assessments, teacher use of technology for displays, temporary emergency remote instruction, and computer science courses.
• Create the Elementary Instructional Technology Task Force within the Department with specified membership and diverse representation.
• Task Force duties include reviewing current research, establishing grade-band recommendations, identifying best practices, and issuing written recommendations by Oct 1, 2027 with annual reviews and updates.
• Board and Department oversight: local boards must adopt policies aligned with standards; the Department oversees compliance; the Board must publish an annual progress report by Oct 1.
• Effective date: October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 5, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education