AN ACT relating to digital instruction.

UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1261
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AN ACT relating to digital instruction. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 158 IS CREATED TO 3
READ AS FOLLOWS: 4
(1) As used in this section: 5
(a) "Digital instruction" means lessons, assignments, testing, or activities 6
delivered through instructional technology; 7
(b) "Elementary student" means a stud ent enrolled in a public school for in -8
person instruction in kindergarten through grade five (5); 9
(c) "Instructional technology" means a laptop, tablet, computer, Chromebook, 10
smart device, software platform, or other similar device or platform that is 11
provided by the district and used for student learning; 12
(d) "Manipulatives" means hands -on physical learn ing items, including but 13
not limited to blocks, counters, cubes, rulers, cards, science materials, and 14
similar educational tools; 15
(e) "Public elementary school" means a public school that enrolls elementary 16
students for in-person instruction; and 17
(f) "Traditional materials" means printed books, paper -based workbooks, 18
notebooks, handwriting materials, and physical educational resources. 19
(2) Digital instruction for elementary students shall not exceed forty -five (45) 20
minutes per elementary student per instructional day, inclusive of all subjects. 21
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section, instructional technology used for 22
the following purposes may be permitted and shall not count towards the daily 23
digital instruction time limit for elementary students: 24
(a) Special education needs documented in an individualized education 25
program, or IEP, as that term is defined in 20 U.S.C. sec. 1401 or a 504 26
plan created under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1261
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U.S.C. sec. 794; 1
(b) Assistive or adaptive technology required for student access; and 2
(c) Teacher-directed demonstrations on a projector, smartboard, or television if 3
students are not individually using such devices. 4
(4) A public elementary school shall require: 5
(a) At least seventy percent (70%) of elementary student assignments to be 6
completed using paper and a pen, pencil, crayon, or similar writing tool; 7
(b) Each elementary student to have daily access to traditional materials, 8
including printed books or printed reading material; and 9
(c) Physical manipulatives to be incorporated into foundational mathematics 10
and science instruction for all elementary students. 11
(5) A public elementary school shall not: 12
(a) Permit instructional technology to replace traditional teacher instruction 13
and traditional materials for elementary students for: 14
1. Reading and literacy; 15
2. Foundational mathematics; 16
3. Science lessons requiring physical demonstration or manipulatives; 17
and 18
4. Social studies content knowledge; 19
(b) Assign elementary students hom ework that requires the use of instructional 20
technology; 21
(c) Require elementary students to carry instructional technology to and from 22
school daily; or 23
(d) Replace library time with instructional technology reading labs. 24
(6) Each local board of education shall adopt a written technology use policy 25
consistent with this section to: 26
(a) Promote the educational interests of elementary students; 27
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(b) Ensure that instructional technology supports, rather than supplants, 1
foundational learning; 2
(c) Establish daily screen-time limits for elementary students during the 3
instructional day; and 4
(d) Establish a process for a parent or guardian to request a lower screen -time 5
limit for his or her elementary student. The policy shall require that parents 6
and guardians receive written notice of this process within the first ten (10) 7
days of each school year. 8
(7) Each school district shall publish an annual report to the school's website that 9
includes: 10
(a) The average minutes per day that an elementary student uses instructional 11
technology by grade level; 12
(b) A list of digital instruction services used by elementary students in the 13
school district; 14
(c) Verification that traditional materials are provided to elementary students 15
enrolled in the district as required by subsection (4)(b) of this section; and 16
(d) Instructions for parents and guardians to request lower screen -time limits 17
for their elementary student. 18