Schools Are Taking Back Chromebooks as Tech Backlash Spreads Across America
The great Chromebook experiment is over — or at least, it's getting a serious downgrade. Schools across America are pulling back student laptops, returning to pencils and paper, and questioning whether billions of dollars in education tech actually made kids smarter. Spoiler: the data says no.
McPherson Middle School Leads the Charge
McPherson Middle School in Kansas collected all 480 student Chromebooks in December 2025. The laptops now sit on classroom carts, used only for specific teacher-assigned activities. Students take notes by hand, solve math on dry-erase boards, and — brace yourself — actually talk to each other.
"We just felt we couldn't have Chromebooks be that huge distraction," said Principal Inge Esping, Kansas' 2025 middle school principal of the year. "This technology can be a tool. It is not the answer to education."
A Nationwide Trend
McPherson isn't alone. Schools in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Michigan are reevaluating heavy classroom technology use. At least 10 states — including Kansas, Vermont, and Virginia — have introduced bills to restrict student screen time, require proof of efficacy for school tech tools, or let parents opt children out of digital device use.
Kansas' Senate introduced a bill that would prohibit laptops and tablets in kindergarten through fifth grade and limit middle school device use to just one hour per day.
Billions Spent, Results Missing
After tens of billions in school spending on Chromebooks, iPads, and learning apps, studies have found that digital tools have generally not improved students' academic results or graduation rates. Some researchers and UNESCO even warn that overreliance on technology can distract students and impede learning.
Meanwhile, Google and Microsoft — along with newcomers like OpenAI — are now pushing AI chatbots into classrooms, raising fresh concerns about screen dependency.
Students Actually Prefer It
Here's the twist: many students are on board with the change. "It's been super beneficial because students stopped fighting with teachers over video games," said 13-year-old Jade LeGron. Another student, Sarah Garcia, noted that less screen time has prompted students to talk more: "Since we don't have our Chromebooks in front of our face, most people now interact with their peers."
Teachers report spending less time policing device use and more time actually teaching. Some schools have even introduced board games and card games during homeroom.
The Bottom Line
The Chromebook pullback isn't anti-technology — it's anti-distraction. Schools like McPherson are aiming for "intentional tech use," keeping devices available but not defaulting to screens for every lesson. As one student proved by launching a paper dart into the hallway ceiling, sometimes the old ways of being ornery are the best ways.