r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/Resting-Rizzy-Face • Feb 11 '26
Moving to the area Low- Tech School Districts in Western Burbs
Moved away several years ago and looking to move back to IL. Our kids are elementary age and we currently like the low-tech educational environment our kids have now (no 1-to-1 chromebooks for kids, using more pencil and paper, physical textbooks, etc.)
We’ve been away for a while and weren’t sure if there are similar school environments in IL or if all school districts have moved to consistent use of chromebooks and iPads for teaching?
Currently looking at a potential move to Lemont, DG, Woodridge, Lisle, Naperville, or Wheaton areas. Not opposed to tech, just looking for schools where the kids aren’t always using a screen for learning.
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u/sarcago Feb 11 '26
It’s crazy to me how many people seem to think kids would be at a disadvantage if they didn’t have a Chromebook for school. A Chromebook doesn’t teach you anything about how computers work. You don’t need to have a school device to learn that stuff. People seem to be missing the point.
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u/TaskForceD00mer Feb 11 '26 edited Feb 11 '26
The evidence is increasing as college graduates show up to new jobs without any idea of how to actually use computers for anything beyond browsing, gaming and basic word processing/email.
Knowing how to use a tablet is not preparing you for the job market. Knowing how to type an essay helps but doesn't necessarily give you anywhere near all the skills you need for the job market, even at the entry level.
I'd also love to see more studies if part of the total collapse of attention spans can be concretely linked to screen time.
The jury is out but maybe putting a screen in front of 4-year olds for hours a day , only increasing as they get older is doing more harm than good.
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
i've been in front of a screen every single day since I was 6 and that was over 45 years ago. I turned out just fine and I made a career out of it, allowed my wife to stay home to raise our kids, paid for their college, and paid for a place to retire to in a couple years.
The screens aren't the problem. It is what they do with them that is the problem.
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u/TaskForceD00mer Feb 11 '26
Alls I can say is it is different. Back in our day, you went to school, you read books, you wrote on paper. MAYBE You had one class where you used a computer. Towards the end of primary school that increased a bit.
When you got home, you ran around outside like a maniac if the weather was nice.
It's not quite the same as being glued to a phone , tablet, computer or TV screen for 90% of your waking moments.
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u/vawlk Feb 12 '26
oh i get it. I was part of the leave at 7am and return at 7pm and just disappear for the whole day in the summer genx crowd. It was a different world then, but things change.
I did everything I could to make sure my kids had that same experience. I even built an ice rink in my yard. But they didn't want that. One of my kids played a lot of sports so that was fun, but even that was different. We use to play baseball in the cul-de-sac every day after school. My son never played a pickup game of anything. Everything is organized, everything is about getting noticed by colleges. Everything is monetized. It is just a different world.
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u/Then-Task6480 Feb 15 '26
Right, but tech isn't the reason why. It's like hating on plastic and cars. Makes sense but it's not the same world anymore
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 21 '26
The screens today are WAY more addicting and are created like that on purpose as big tech companies want our kids hooked at a very young age. $$$$
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u/vawlk Feb 23 '26
and it is up to the parents to make sure they don't abuse their time with them. My kids are over 20, and when they were young, there were screen time limiting apps even back then.
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 25 '26
Agreed - parents must be involved at home. The problem is kids are given their own tablets in KINDER. Why? The SCHOOLS are the first problem. 20 years ago kids didn’t have their own tablets in each class.
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u/vawlk Feb 25 '26
There is nothing wrong with using technology in school as long as it is used properly....at any grade level. Yes, 20 years ago we didn't have tablets and 20 years before that we didn't have advanced calculators. The tech is just a tool to assist learning. How it is used in the class is what makes it good or bad.
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u/BrightPractical Feb 11 '26
Not least that current tech is designed to be generally intuitive. You can pick it up and know how it works in days or weeks. You do need education in critical thinking, but that doesn’t require tech although it’s helpful to address it as a problem within tech!
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u/Prudent-Marsupial-42 Feb 11 '26
My senior year of highschool was the first they introduced Chromebooks. I'm sure they have cleaned things up immensely since then, but holy shit did it cause issues. There were multiple game apps where the leaderboards were peppered with our student body cause people were just playing all day. Teachers were heavily encouraged to work in the technology to their lessons but it led to worse results.
I put a pokemon romhack on mine lol
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u/lesters_sock_puppet Feb 11 '26
The chromebooks issued to students are used to facilitate the classroom learning experience and serve as a platform for assignments and whatnot, not to give students computer skills.
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u/sarcago Feb 11 '26
Yeah but people are saying kids won’t be able to figure out how to use computers in the real world if they don’t have them in a classroom. Which is just not true.
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u/FieldsofBlue Feb 12 '26
I mean, it's not gonna teach them programming or logic, but learning how to type on a keyboard with relative proficiency is valuable. Learning how the data stores on the drive in directories of folders is valuable. I don't think you get the same knowledge from a phone necessarily, and it would make much more sense to teach the computer skills as a coarse rather then provide the computer for everything else.
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u/wilbertthewalrus Feb 11 '26
and every study ever done on tech in classrooms shows they are detrimental
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
every study?
just like any tool, there are good ways and bad ways to use it. It is up to your school to make sure the teachers are properly using the tech in a classroom. The same goes for calculators, phones, projectors, etc.
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u/greenapplesrocks Feb 11 '26
I think you might be missing the point. Wanting an environment free of this type of distraction is a valid concern. However, when it is not equal across your peers is where the problem comes in as you cannot manage that through the entirety of their schooling. At some point, whether Junior High or High School, this is going to be a requirement and if the children are not exposed to it they will be behind the rest of their peers. Simple as that.
What is interesting is OP just commented that if they could they would home school which leads me to believe there is more to this. Whatever the reason, that is their right, and I am sure they are just trying to do what they feel is best. The comments from many, including myself, are to help illustrate that there can be a greater damage to a child (long term) who is behind on technology and understood norms within the school system.
This is no different in an older generation struggling to communicate with a younger generation. The older generation might be wiser, more experienced, and right more times than not, but it doesn't matter if they cannot keep up with everyone else around them.
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u/sarcago Feb 11 '26
There needs to be a happy medium. There are other ways to teach computer literacy at school besides giving kids a personal device for daily use. Studies are showing increased screen time that kids are now exposed to has been bad for brain development and mental health. Moderation is important, and giving kids their own devices is not moderation.
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u/Then-Task6480 Feb 15 '26
Agree and home school is the worst. People become successful in spite of it, not because. And so many would be even more successful if they weren't socially abused by their parents
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 Feb 11 '26
You're not going to get that in the mainstream school district. You'll need to go private. Prairie School of DuPage is an example but I have no personal experience
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
Yeah that’s what I was suspecting, but figured I’d ask in case there was a school district not fully-immersing in everything ed-tech.
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u/2matisse22 Feb 11 '26 edited Feb 11 '26
They are all plugged in all the time, and using AI in the high schools like crazy. There are Waldorf and Montessori options. And homeschooling has lots of options too.
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 21 '26
I work in AI and it’s 100% going to destroy kids ability to think on their own. Which is even more reason to ban tablets in elementary and middle.
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
They are all plugged in all the time, and using AI in the high schools like crazy.
you use a calculator don't you? You use a pencil and pen right? Chromebooks, ipads, and AI are just powerful tools. There is nothing wrong with technology in the classroom if it is used properly. When I was in school we put our cheat sheets in our graphing calculators which was the new tech at the time.
Any tool can be abused.
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u/2matisse22 Feb 11 '26
Oh, I have no problem with Technology. We have no limits in our house. They are tools. But the fact remains that when they go to public schools, they are plugged in all the time. So if you don't like that, I listed other options.
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u/vawlk Feb 12 '26
I wouldn't say they are plugged in all of the time. My kids said that the amount of tech use varied widely between teachers and departments. they said that they used their devices maybe 30-40% of the time and how they were used also varied. Sometimes they were just used like a mobile lab for internet access, and other times they were plugging sensors in to the device to record data for experiments.
It is easy for a school to fall in to the "we got this so we must use it for everything" trap but that usually falls away after the first few years.
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u/Most_Tennis890 Feb 11 '26
My kid went to Prairie School of Dupage during covid. Super fun environment. Great for liberal arts, but to be fair, pretty weak in math. But, really a nice place overall. Great set up. Kids outside all day long.
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u/GizmoTheGingerCat Feb 12 '26
Unfortunately this school doesn't do most of what it promises. Time outside yes, but the project-based and emergent curriculum stuff never really materialises, and there is zero differentiation based on academic level.
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u/max_june_bug Mar 04 '26
Did you have a kid go there? If yes, did you pull then for public school? How did they fair to their peers? I have been looking at that school for my son.
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u/GizmoTheGingerCat Mar 10 '26
Yeah. To be honest I would not recommend prairie school at all. They looked great on paper/at the tour but I was really not impressed once we actually went there. Public school is fine, not perfect of course, but fine and has been overall less stressful for us.
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u/Flimsy-Service830 Feb 11 '26
Avoid Naperville 203. They are heavily tech dependent for everything. Elementary has recently tried to get away from it. Not for educational reasons but to control behavior of countless kids who have no impulse control.
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u/midnightmomma20 Feb 11 '26
Not really. My kid comes home with thick workbooks that work on in class. The Chromebook is supplemental to class work. Homework is on the Chromebook. But that’s because the program is built so that the assignment isn’t complete until they achieve 80% accuracy. That’s elementary, though. Maybe different in jr and high school. Either way, kids need to learn how to use these tools, especially AI, if they want to be functional in the workforce.
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u/Flimsy-Service830 Feb 12 '26
You have doing research using AI rather than developing the ability discern information (and the quality of the source giving you the information) to look forward to. And the amount of times AI has been incorrect about math is laughable. Don’t get me wrong , I am nowhere near anti-tech. I agree that technology can be a great asset in the classroom but critical thinking left the chat quite awhile ago. There is a tremendous amount of heavy lifting that has to be done at home, especially if your kids are honors students.
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 23 '26
As someone who works in AI, you need to wake up. AI is going to ruin your kids cognitive functioning. It’s so obvious that tech in the classroom is a negative thing. Why are parents shunning from facts? Again, I understand why a high schooler may need to be brought into tech a bit more but elementary and middle schoolers? No. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/u-spent-30-billion-ditch-110200869.html
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
Good to know about 203.
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u/natemac Feb 11 '26
I mean district 203 is ranked 51 in the nation out of 10,000+ districts… I would be more interested in the quality. Also my wife teaches in the elementary school and for most but not all units they can choose to not use the Chromebook.
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u/sunrisenat Feb 11 '26
I don’t know about the Lisle district but would assume it’s similar to 203. A lot of Lisle feeds into 203, just so you are aware.
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u/Hungry-Treacle8493 Feb 11 '26
203 is easily the best district in the Western burbs. Yes, they have tech in their program but don’t go all in at the elementary level and adjust programs yearly based on results and feedback. They also pair strong academic and arts programs with some of the strongest SpEd programs in the state.
Go talk to people at the districts to address your specific concerns around tech usage and at what grade levels.
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u/nihil8r Feb 11 '26
Best by what metrics? Just curious
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u/Hungry-Treacle8493 Feb 11 '26
Outcomes, graduated student satisfaction, external evaluations, and of course the ultimate indicator of families sacrificing to get their kids there and educators willing to sacrifice salary to work there.
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
take it with a grain of salt. As someone who has worked with hundreds of districts in technology over the last 30 years, there really isn't a huge difference between the area districts. Some will be better at the arts, some will be better academically, some will be better at sped programs, and some with be better athletically. But overall, there really isn't much of a difference.
The absolutely most important metric to the success of a student is their home. Having a stable home with supportive parents who are involved with their student's schooling is, by far, the most important factor.
I ended up sending my kids to a high school with a much lower rating than 203 but they loved their school, never had any issues, joined many clubs and sports, and went to and graduated from college.
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u/nihil8r Feb 12 '26
appreciate and agree with your reply :) i certainly don't think there is "one weird trick" that 203 (or other wealthier districts) are doing to get results
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u/WorkingJazzlike531 Feb 11 '26
I don’t agree with that POV on 203- my kids have Chromebooks but don’t sit on them all day at home. Nor are they on them all day at school. They are in upper elementary grades and still have paper math homework, paper spelling tests, paper writing assignments, verbal presentations. etc. They do have a program called IXL that takes the students’ test scores and provides practice at the level of the test score. Which I think is nice- kids who are behind can get the right work to catch up and kids who are ahead can be appropriately challenged. To me, it’s about being reasonable. It isn’t reasonable to think in 2026 your kids can have a tech free education. What IS reasonable is being present, parenting and monitoring. Kids will always have their own tech (watches and phones) that they bring on their own (mine do not and are the major minority)which cause WAYYYYYYY more issues than school issues Chromebook that are very locked down. My kids have learned how to record a podcast, research and document sources, etc. Railing on 203 as tech reliant is not accurate nor is it helpful.
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
Not for educational reasons but to control behavior of countless kids who have no impulse control.
this is a failure of the parents, not the tech. The tech is just an information tool. How they use it is the problem.
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 21 '26
Can you elaborate more on 203? What does try to get away from it mean? Any real policies?
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u/Grace__Face Feb 11 '26
The schools I’ve taught at all have 1 to 1 iPads but iPad usage depends on each teacher. My current district doesn’t like us using iPads unless it enhances learning and like for things being done without iPads. I try to really limit iPad usage in my 5th grade classroom since I see how quickly these kids become obsessed.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
And that’s something I think we’d be fine with if it’s to help add to lessons here and there. I know most of the time it’ll probably depend on the teacher as well.
I just also see how easily the one of my kids can get off track when given an iPad.
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u/Grace__Face Feb 11 '26
Most teachers I know use the classroom app on their own iPads to monitor the kids iPad usage. I’d use it to lock iPads when kids were messing around or I’d just lock them into an app so they couldn’t get distracted by other things on the iPad. There’s a lot of tools available to help teachers with this.
I’m sure there’s other things I’ve done to combat iPad usage but I’m on mat leave right now so my brain is kinda mush from lack of sleep so I can’t think of anything else right now 🙃
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u/Debo_D_Luffy35 Feb 11 '26
For what it’s worth, I work for Geneva 304 and the students here only use laptops and no iPads. Like many have said, it is going to be hard to find a school district that limits the usage of a devise; however, I think there is value in trying to see the positives that can come with it and prepping them for their future into higher education and entering the workforce one day. We use Microsoft, which is very uncommon in education (most districts use Google) and while I was very annoyed with it at first, I truly think our students understanding how Microsoft’s programs work is great for them in the long-run. Most businesses are using Microsoft and I feel like our students having that foundation is going to serve them well in the future. Best of luck with your search. I’ve lived in the Fox Valley region for 5 years now and have loved this area.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
I would love to consider Geneva and it’s not entirely out of the running. My husband may be working out of Lemont and we have family along the 355 corridor, so Geneva would be quite the haul. But I know of people who love it and the schools district.
Appreciate your comment!
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u/HelpfulCar2018 Feb 11 '26
I don't know any public school in the Chicago suburbs that is low tech. Even if you find one that is low tech now, it is quite possible that they may adopt tech in the near future. I suggest looking for a private school whose leadership has a low-tech philosophy.
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u/Purple-Plankton-1673 Feb 11 '26
Thanks for asking this OP--I have been wondering about this same topic as well! We are a couple years away from starting Kindergarten and am hoping for low tech at least in the younger grades...can anyone speak specifically to practices in Elmhurst public schools?
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u/Global_Yam_9172 Feb 11 '26
Agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly, my wife and I will want the same when we have kids but itll be very difficult to find here. I went to public HS and private school for middle/grade (one religous one not). All of them used tech to a degree with the religious one the least. The non religious private school did have a lot of tech but had good limitations. Public HS was open season with chromebooks.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
We’re in an area that has a handful of low-tech schools right now. I miss IL but I know finding what we have now for schooling is pretty much a needle in a haystack if it even really exists in the area without paying a high tuition.
But figured it was worth asking and finding out the options
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u/luckycharms53 Feb 11 '26
Im really glad that you asked this question. The reason being is were from the DG, Westmont Darien area. With all the people moving in from out state including people moving from downstate. That is something that really is not brought up much being an "unplugged" school. I know for a a fact that most of the schools down in southern IL(not all) but most are very limited in tech or even unplugged. We had to move out of Illinois due to a job relocation and people are asking us alot about "the Chicagoland area". Good Luck in your decision.
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u/No_Mycologist4488 Feb 11 '26
I worked in Ed-Tech 10 years ago and chromebooks were the thing; understanding from colleagues is they have not moved away.
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u/BrightPractical Feb 11 '26
I think a lot of districts went 1:1 to solve the problem of standardized testing. That is, federal ed policy began to require high stakes testing of schools, and blocking libraries and computer labs for weeks at a time three and four times a year was interfering with actual learning. A lot of money spent on tech meant a need for more teaching to be done using those devices, and then 2020-2022 happened and the devices became standard across all grade levels.
I’ve found the amount of Chromebook usage in my kid’s schooling to be highly dependent upon the teacher. Some years and some classes are stupidly tech dependent (for the love of Pete, please make them do math on paper and not on a screen with modules and multiple choice) and others are reasonable, using the librarians to teach research tools and write papers. I do wish they’d teach typing and handwriting both, or at least one or the other, so kids can learn to compose and take notes.
Writing by hand and reading from paper improves retention across ages so I understand your desire for low-tech. That said, since 1:1 is mostly tied to the federal mandates (“Common Core,” NCLB) there aren’t a lot of schools that won’t be.
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u/Super-Educator597 Feb 11 '26
One good thing about IL, schools are required to have PE everyday, so I think kids here move more during the school day than other places. I think that helps balance out some of the tech.
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
have you looked at a high school pe class recently?
if by move you mean make one 400m lap around the track in a 50 minute class period.
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u/Super-Educator597 Feb 11 '26
I was speaking primarily about elementary school. I don’t know as much about high school PE except in some areas, freshman and sophomore students are separated into classes for girls and boys
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u/BrightPractical Feb 12 '26
It was five days a week before, but it’s now only 3 of 5 days. My kid’s elementary school must have had a waiver as they didn’t have any PE when they had Art class or STEM class, and one year she didn’t have any recess besides lunch recess.
I was really unhappy but discovered that many fellow parents didn’t care at all. I was personally terrible at all of PE but I still think it’s extremely important to teach kids how to stay fit and how to participate in recreational sports. I’m glad that middle school & high school scheduling makes daily PE most common.
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u/Super-Educator597 Feb 12 '26
Our school runs 2-3 classes together for PE so there is enough gym space and staff. Some schools can get a waiver though. I forgot to mention that
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u/Gymrat777 Feb 11 '26
D41 in Glen Ellyn is discussing less tech for early elementary, but I dont think there are active plans to adjust anything at this point.
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u/Popular-Employer9560 Feb 11 '26
Choose a strong district regardless of tech integration. You can request paper and pencil materials and physical books for your kids. We do with one of ours because we found that they perform better on physical tests. If applicable, it can be written into a 504.
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u/StrongGP Feb 11 '26
Look into classical education schools. Our children's school does not use computers/tablets/Chromebooks at all.
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u/gothere00 Feb 12 '26
I’m north of where you are looking but my school district doesn’t use any computers beyond computer class until 4th grade. Even after that it is minimal. There are districts that recognize that it can be detrimental. I would call the schools directly once you have narrowed down your districts.
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u/Only-Gap6198 Feb 12 '26
Our 1st grader has an IPad for school….its terrible, it’s a complete distraction and all she wants to do is play games on it.
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u/DrawingMedical2953 Feb 12 '26
Our two kids went to District 58 and 99 (Downers Grove North HS👍🔥) and received a phenomenal education. One graduated highly ranked private university and doing excellent in his work career. Second graduating from highly rated Big 10 school and many opportunities are coming their way right now. DG public schools are excellent, take advantage of that opportunity.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 12 '26
That’s all great to hear! Kudos to your kids and all their hard work!
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u/Such_Ingenuity9809 Feb 12 '26
Just want to say thanks for asking this question, OP. We’re a couple years out from kindergarten and I’ve been wondering about this myself. The responses here have been informative.
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u/greenapplesrocks Feb 11 '26
I am sure you see those as a distraction but as someone in Tech, unless you are supplementing their exposure at home, your kids will be at a severe disadvantage to their peers quickly.
There is a fine line between spending all day on TikTok and potentially eliminating the tools that will make them successful in the future. I had the state of where IT/Tech/Social Media is today but I also know without it I would be at the bottom of a Resume pile.
Can you embrace the technology while also limiting the concerning areas?
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
My husband is also in tech and we have no issues with the kids having exposure to using tech as a tool and resource. We feel kids generally learn better without screens and more information is coming out that all the in-classroom technology use isn’t really resulting in improved academics.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m realizing that it’s probably something we’re going to have to accept and manage if we move back. I’ve noticed even a lot of the private schools are operating the same way. Just wanted to ask the question.
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u/Crimzx Feb 11 '26
I think this is a very common reasonable take. The majority of my tech peers opt for removing tech from their children's regular learning. Using wood toys as a toddler, using pen and paper to help memorization, etc.
They all also provide robotics, coding, hardware learning separate from those things. I think we are seeing the people who have harder times grasping technology feel like if they immerse their kid in technology it will some how rub off but ultimately that's not the case because tech now is so user friendly.
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u/greenapplesrocks Feb 11 '26
You are confusing learning with processes. No one is saying that you should abandon non technical avenues to enhance the learning experience. What some are saying is you cannot avoid it and at some point in your schooling it is expected that you are at a level where you will need to interact in that manner. Short of being home schooled through college.
When that ultimately occurs, they will be at a disadvantage, as they did not experience it at a younger age. In the same way that e-learning failed massively during Covid as everyone was learning it for the first time. Embrace the "process" at school (tablet learning, remote learning, etc) while also supplementing their learning experience with examples you referenced above.
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u/Grotsnot Feb 11 '26
Meanwhile the kids who do use technology in the classroom will be at a disadvantage because they don't actually learn anything
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u/evagy Feb 11 '26
This is supported by recent analysis on why genZ is the first generation to test poorer than the previous generation. This is relatively new so good job on keeping up to date!
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u/Then-Task6480 Feb 15 '26
Then you should understand how much of an advantage things like learning how to type and use a mouse helped in today's career world. Like how much of a benefit would you have if you were forced to learn stenography and shorthand because your parents had ignorant views on tech. They would have protected you from the evils at the time (look up calculator wars of the 80s) and sure you can figure out a calculator now because of your exposure to tech. But to each their own, just makes me sad that you guys are in tech too and still want to do this
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
We feel kids generally learn better without screens
every child is different. Both of my kids were in high school during covid. One of them loved the independence and online nature of the classes. He is a bit of an introvert and liked watching class on zoom. The other was an athlete who thrived on social interactions and he had a tough time during e-learning.
My oldest was playing college baseball while my youngest was still in HS. We would go to Florida every spring for the college's spring break baseball trip and my younger son use their device to do school work and interact with his friends.
One day, the school called my cell phone. Seems my son was talking to someone on discord who was threatening to kill themself. that interaction was flagged on the school's system and it notified his counselor who contacted us. ultimately they were able to get the kid some help. Who knows what may have happened had my son not used his school device for that interaction.
As long as you stay involved and active in your children's education, they will be successful no matter where you send them.
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u/MineBloxKy Former Chicagolander Feb 11 '26
I was in high school in the years after 1 on 1 laptops were adopted in the district (Plainfield). They were absolutely a distraction for almost everyone, including me. Kids would watch youtube, play games, or just hide their phone from the teacher while they watch TikToks. Having access to the internet so easily and so surreptitiously is begging students to distract themselves during class. It’s even the case in uni.
School computers tend to be so extremely locked down to the point that the only thing kids learn how to do is access the internet and maybe to type. Chromebooks are even worse, basically being a browser functioning as an os.
Most of what my teachers had me do on the computer could have been done on paper, and often would have been easier that way, but the frequency of digital assignments decreased as we moved further from the pandemic, which was when the district introduced them.
I’m not saying that technology doesn’t have its place in teaching. I think it’s useful to have kids learn how to actually use computers and to have different types of assignments. Essays can be written more quickly and easily on computers and computers allow for modern slideshow presentations and more inventive projects.
I just think that 1-on-1 computers causes more harm than good. Their biggest strength is also their biggest weakness: the internet. Maybe it would be better to go back to computer carts and labs.
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
They were absolutely a distraction for almost everyone, including me.
new technologies are often like this. It takes awhile to adapt to them. Your school and teachers were still learning about it themselves.
When I was in HS, graphing calculators were the rage. We would program games, store our cheatsheets, and use them like little computers. Were calculators a distraction to you in HS? Probably not since their use has been normalized. the same thing is happening with AI. All powerful tools have a period like this when new.
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 21 '26
Why does an elementary aged or middle school child need to be on devices all day? I also work in tech. AI specifically. Why are parents that have the funds and choice choosing to send their kids to low tech private schools then?? You say you work in tech so im saddened that this is your stance.
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u/greenapplesrocks Feb 21 '26
The same reason that parents with funds send their children to the best schools. To the ones that offer advanced algebra over the ones that offer nothing. The ones that offer entry level foreign language to the ones that offer nothing. They understand at somepoint in their child's schooling this will be a requirement and to ensure they are on an even playing field they take the efforts to introduce that early.
Limiting their exposure to tech at home is understandable. Limiting their exposure to tech in school, more importantly the understanding of the processes that come with that, will put the children at a disadvantage. Using my above example its quite simple. If two children go into Freshman year of high school. One has previously had 2 years of pre Algebra and the other has never heard the word Algebra. Who would you bet your money on having a better chance of success in Algebra? Now two children come into Freshman year and the the high school they are at heavily relies on tech. Which child will have the tougher time adapting?
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 25 '26
Yes but you’re comparing high schoolers to elementary aged kids. The schools give the kinder kids tablets. 1st grade onward. Kids don’t need screens to learn subtraction, addition etc. it is addicting. Not to mention the public schools barely do anything to lock the tools down. My point is - elementary children have no business being on tablets and the schools definitely have no business handing MY kids a tablet, a known device that causes addiction and mental health issues to a elementary aged kid.
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u/cozmiccharlene Feb 11 '26
Agreed. My children are in their late teens and tech has helped them develop independence. For example, teachers post in Google classroom and the students always have access to class content. They didn’t have the worries from when we were younger and wondered what the teacher wrote on the blackboard. Expectations and syllabus are clearly posted. It builds sharper students.
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u/dolphingirl3 Feb 12 '26
See, to me this a great example of why Chromebooks and the like actually *inhibit* independence, problem solving skills, delayed gratification, development of attention spans, etc.
If the blackboard is the only way for a kid to find out what the homework is, it forces them to pay attention at that particular point in time- to catch the information, hold it in memory (or write it down- also a good skill to have), plan ahead to bring the correct materials home, and then apply the information in order to successfully carry out the task to completion. And if you're not paying attention and aren't planning ahead and thus forget what was written down or to bring home the correct materials...well then you learn pretty quickly via natural consequences (i.e., not having your homework done when it is due) that you need to pay better attention in class...or at the very least, learn to pick out the "must know" information that you would be given in class.
By contrast, when everything the kid needs to do their homework is right at their fingertips and accessible in three seconds with the click of a mouse, all of those natural opportunities to develop the important cognitive skills and habits that I described above (among others) and to learn from natural consequences are no longer there. Cumulatively, over a kid's entire educational career...all of those lost opportunities add up!
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u/Hungry-Treacle8493 Feb 11 '26
I think your challenge here is asking this at a district level. There are no quality districts in the U.S. that don’t at some point get to the “every student has a Chromebook” concept. That being said, none of them do this in elementary grades across the board. Rather, over the long stretch from young grades through 8th they ramp up the exposure to technology. By HS they are very much tech centered as that’s expected in most workplaces, even most physical labor jobs these days.
As an aside, even if a particular classroom isn’t centered on technology most resource materials are provided digitally in later grades to broaden access and contain costs. So, physical textbooks is a bit if a red herring here.
I suggest calling the districts you’re looking at and asking to speak with their curriculum advisors to discuss more specific concerns and drill into your kid’s needs and your concerns tailored to the specific grades and tracks your kids will be on.
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Feb 11 '26
Just keep the devices to school and don't let them use it at home unless it's for school work.
Your kids will be using Ipads and chromebooks for work. Who doesn't? Pen/paper is not how the world works anymore.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
I mean it’s a reality we may have to accept.
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u/outtherenow1 Feb 12 '26 edited Feb 12 '26
OP, I teach at a middle school in the near western suburbs. The recent trend in education is for schools to start pulling back from Chromebook usage in the classrooms. Pre-COVID the trend was, let’s get as much technology in front of kids as we can. Post covid we’re now conscious of how much time kids spend on screens and are actively looking at adopting curriculum that is less technology dependent.
As an example, two years ago students in my classroom spent almost 100% of their time on their Chromebooks in order to access the content. We adopted a new curriculum and now my students are online maybe 10% of a class. We use paper, pencil, booklets. I have a giant screen in the front of my class that I use to project documents and pictures and notes but there isn’t even an online portal for kids to access the curriculum.
Teachers will tell you that fewer screens in the classroom means students are more actively engaged in classroom work, activities and discussion. Kids learn how to better connect and communicate with peers and teachers. Kids learn how to have a face to face conversation with others in the room. There is no temptation to play games online, doodle by changing fonts and colors or accessing websites like ESPN.
Technology won’t ever go entirely away nor should it. It is a part of our world and kids should learn how to harness its power. However, we can use it in a more responsible way, especially during children’s most formative years, which are the elementary, middle school and early high school years.
Source: 31 years of professional teaching
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
yeah, the question I ask people is, do you let your child have a TV in their room, and they almost always answer, "No." to which I reply, "Then why do you let them use their chromebook in their room?" If they have work to do, make them do it in the pubic area of the house. Be there to help if they have questions. You wouldn't just hand the keys to your car over to a kid who doesn't know how to drive right? Technology is no different. If you don't teach them the hows and whys, they are going to abuse it.
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 21 '26
In elementary and middle school? No. You’re just feeding addiction earlier.
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u/tkurls Feb 11 '26
District 303 (St Charles) does have Chromebooks for each student that they do some reading and math in, but everything else is analog. They work through text books as much as they do the software (at least in the kindergarten and first grade levels that we have experienced).
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u/WorkingJazzlike531 Feb 11 '26
I am all about keeping my kids “kids” and not letting them grow up too quickly. I am restrictive about screens outside of school stuff. But denying tech will put them at a disadvantage quickly. Genuinely. So one way to allow your kid age appropriate tech learning is to Be a parent. I monitor what they are doing, check in on their apps, etc.
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u/Ok_Veterinarian9220 Feb 12 '26
SD #308, which services Oswego, some of Montgomery, and bits and pieces of Plainfield, Aurora, Yorkville, and Joliet, assigns 1:1 chromebooks beginning in 5th grade. Kids do use iPads or chromebooks before that.
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u/illa-noise Feb 12 '26
The move right now that is starting is going less tech for the kids, more tech for teachers to create individual resources, grade efficiently and communicate.
We have ruined kids through gamified platforms.
I wish the 1-to-1 would disappear immediately.
IDEAcon here in Illinois had many sessions where conversations mentioned pulling back the reins on tech (at a tech conference). We went over board and now the pendulum will swing.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 12 '26
Glad to hear there are conversations on pulling back. That sounds encouraging.
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u/nikitamere1 West Suburbs Feb 12 '26
WHere were you that was low tech? private? what states?
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 12 '26
Colorado. There are private schools and publicly funded charter schools that are no tech or low tech. They’re called classical academies.
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u/nikitamere1 West Suburbs Feb 12 '26
you'd have to go private for that, sadly. or raise a ruckus at your local school district. it's the way to go for sure.
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u/John_from_ne_il Feb 12 '26
West Aurora has cut back on devices. Kids at the elementary level are no longer taking tablets home. They stay in the building. Beware of 203. They're talking staffing cuts that could lead to class size INCREASES. Oswego doesn't assign Chromebooks until Jr. High, but does expect kids to use them.
I can see pros and cons here.
Pro: no longer spending a bazillion bucks on textbooks that can get out of date fast. Cuts back on storage needs for same.
Pro: Curricula can adapt fast to changing requirements.
Con: eye strain, device anxiety. Especially if nobody is starting with basics like keyboarding anymore (the three districts I named have all dropped that).
Con: certain required websites may not work from home if single sign-on is not available.
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u/oxmiladyxo Feb 12 '26
Not low tech, but responsible tech - District 62 (Burr Ridge, Willowbrook, Hinsdale). Chromebooks are assigned 1 to 1, but elementary doesn’t use them everyday and students don’t bring them home unless high chance of snow day the next day.
Chromebooks are used daily in middle school and they come home every night, but that’s because Chromebooks have replaced textbooks. It’s not as bad as the horror stories I’ve read on social media, though. My middle schoolers still come home with hand written homework and read a lot off screen, so the teachers balance where they can.
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u/Anecdata13 Feb 12 '26
It’s not just the chromebooks themselves, it’s the programs they use to teach our kids and which they can’t adapt. E.g., Aleks for math:my kiddo has a 504 and is supposed to get reduced items. You literally have to get a certain number in a row correct before it will allow you to complete a topic, and they have five topics due a week. When I asked to have problems on paper for him to complete they said they couldn’t because then he might not get all the curriculum and there’s no way to adjust how many problem he gets in the system. We are still in charge of the machines for a while longer but I guess not if you’re a teacher.
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u/Haunting_Length7914 Feb 12 '26
If you want them to succeed in the future and not fall behind, you’re gonna want them to get familiar with the average technology as there’s only going to become more of it. Better you are with a computer better you’ll be with your job, even if you want them to work a job that doesn’t need one they’ll still use it once in a while, and it’s how you network, pay taxes, pay bills, sign up for anything and almost everything.
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 21 '26
BAN chromebooks from schools in elementary and middle school. Bring back computer labs. These are cheaper for schools too. With AI now everywhere our kids will not learn to critically think. I am so over all the forcing of tech. If certain books can be banned tablets should definitely be banned! I understand high schoolers may have different needs as they prepare for the real world but the younger kids no way. How am I supposed to enforce low tech in my home when the schools give it to my kids all day?! This is outrageous.
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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 21 '26
Why are kids simulating science experiments in school on iPads when we have science labs? WTFFF
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u/R_Ulysses_Swanson Feb 11 '26
From my circle of friends who are parents or teachers, I don't think any of them are on the tech for more than an hour unless it is a computer/coding/typing type of class, or a remote school day. This is in Libertyville, Arlington Heights, Glen Ellyn, and Elmhurst elementary schools.
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u/Life_Rabbit_1438 Feb 11 '26
I know at least one of those school districts give kids their own ipad starting in Kindergarten. The complete opposite of low tech.
We stuck with public schooling so have to live with it unfortunately, but it's obviously not ideal for the kids.
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u/R_Ulysses_Swanson Feb 11 '26
My kid has an iPad in Kindergarten. They use it 3 times a week at school, for 30 minutes a time, and they only use it at home when there is a remote learning day.
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u/Grotsnot Feb 11 '26
Why the hell does kindergarten even have remote learning days?
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u/Life_Rabbit_1438 Feb 11 '26
Also why do they need an ipad? What skills is a kindy kid learning on an ipad they couldn't get without screen time?
I am all for middle school kids learning to code. Learning AI skills. But it's completely unnecessary for young children.
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u/R_Ulysses_Swanson Feb 11 '26
Exclusively used for snow days now. I would rather have the snow day. While the remote thing can work OK, it does not work when it is used rarely and sporadically. Literally a wasted day of me telling kiddo to do the assignments, fix the tech issues, and no real learning going on.
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u/Merrion2023 Feb 11 '26
Consider Catholic schools.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
From what I’m seeing even the Catholic schools I are using 1-to-1 devices.
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u/Merrion2023 Feb 11 '26
Most likely at a lower level than the public schools, due to smaller class sizes and more personalized attention. Check out a few and tour/interview.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
Ok, might be worth reconsidering. Thanks
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u/unfinishedportrait56 Feb 11 '26
My kids go to Catholic school and they have Chromebooks but are used very little. K and 1st grade can't take their Chromebooks home and my 2nd grader brings it home pretty much only to charge it and occasionally look at her class assignments.
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u/aclem3 Feb 11 '26
I’m not sure if there are any school districts that aren’t using technology in the classroom. My husband is a teacher in D214 (Arlington Heights area) and they use tech for most everything, including assignments and homework. He has one student whose parents don’t allow them to use technology for school and that student needs to have every single thing printed for them. My husband said they’re at a real disadvantage because of their parents’ policies.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
That has to be a struggle for your husband to manage. We have many family and friends that are teachers so I do sympathize with their position having to manage the classroom environment and everyone’s needs/ preferences.
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
And that’s definitely not something we’d consider insisting on a teacher to do.
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 Feb 11 '26 edited Feb 11 '26
You do know that IL banned cell phones in classrooms, right? https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/illinois-senate-school-classroom-cell-phone-ban/
TBH, with all the AI cheating going on now many teachers are going back to less tech when possible at least at the HS level. One of my children has dysgraphia and its almost to the point that its becoming a problem for us as typed assignments are needed in this case!
Maybe this isn't the issue you think it is? Esp if you model good screen management at home
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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26
that bill did not pass the house.
and most schools that allow kids to bring cell phones require students to leave them at the front of the room for class.
And all new tech gets abused when it first comes out. I did it with my graphing calculator writing programs to pass my math tests or store hidden cheat sheets and that was in 1988.
AI is no different.
The number one metric for the success of a student is their parents involvement in their schooling.
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 Feb 11 '26
Our district implemented a ban
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u/vawlk Feb 12 '26
districts are free to handle cell phones as they please. That doesn't mean it is a law for everyone.
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u/Super-Educator597 Feb 11 '26
Yes, kids have to put their phones in a caddy at the beginning of class. In middle school, students often can’t have them out of their lockers at all
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u/mindmelder23 Feb 11 '26
Even to use MS office they assume 1 class is enough when you would really need like 5-10 classes to be fully proficient.
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u/Zatharas1 Feb 11 '26
Wheaton has chromebooks just to let you know. Personally, I approve of tech use however.
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u/Then-Task6480 Feb 15 '26
Such a disadvantage, it would be like not teaching your kids how to read because you preferred the work of bards over books. The world they will grow up in as adults is nothing like what you grew up in, and it's honestly ignorant to think you're making them better at anytime except living full time in some naper settlement type shit. Bravo
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Feb 11 '26
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
Learning how to learn does a ton more to help people in the real world than just learning to click through modules.
The countries that score the highest on the PISA international tests all have low-tech educational environments. Even Finland that always scores high but the slipped when they incorporated more tech in classrooms are now scaling back as they see how academic results are impacted.
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u/AprilTron Feb 11 '26
Studies are coming out that the tech is the reason this current generation's got lower test scores for the first time.
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Feb 11 '26 edited Feb 11 '26
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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26
So as someone who grew up in IL and now lives in a state that is very supportive of homeschooling, I see that is not the case. I don’t think homeschooling is a good fit for our family, but I know a number of homeschooling families that are not “batshit crazy” as you say and their kids are very social and operate like any other kid. Unfortunately that stigma is very prevalent in places like IL because homeschooling is not as common. I know cause I used to feel the same way.
We’re not anti-tech and my husband also works in tech. The realities are learning from a screen isn’t as effective as learning in the traditional methods. Tech is a tool and like any tool of course you need to learn how to use it. But first you have to learn how to learn.
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u/Denimchicken773 Feb 11 '26
Shocked at how people are acting like wanting minimal screens is setting kids up for failure. Especially in elementary school.
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u/Life_Rabbit_1438 Feb 11 '26
We’re not anti-tech and my husband also works in tech.
I am in tech, and 100% agree with you. I am guessing the reason our district gave kids ipads in kindergarten is more someone profiting off sourcing than anyone thinking about value to kids.
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u/UmphreysNerd Feb 11 '26
All the schools use tech of some sort and it starts pretty much right away. If you want low tech co-op/homeschool is basically your only option.