This week, a bill received final passage in the statehouse. HB78 would create Alabama’s first statewide standards limiting young children’s screen time in child care centers, preschool and kindergarten.
“This is not a ban on technology,” sponsor, Rep. Jeana Ross, R-Guntersville, told AL.com. “This creates a better, more age-appropriate use of technology in the classroom.”
Teachers can still use screens and devices to guide instruction, Ross said. But she wants to make sure children primarily receive hands-on and active instruction.
“There should be a balance between the screen and the adult,” she said.
According to a 2025 survey from Common Sense Media, children aged 2-4 in the United States spend an average of 2 hours a day looking at screens. Experts recommend just one hour a day of high-quality programming.
Experts say too much exposure can harm a child’s sleep, behavior, attention and more.
Even educational media isn’t always helpful, either. Experts say that too much screen time, too young, can stunt a child’s ability to read correctly or process information. Children who learn to read with digital screens don’t always learn how to scan text correctly.
Alabama’s law also requires the state to set science‑based guidelines, train teachers annually and enforce compliance through licensing.
The law applies to licensed child care facilities and state-funded preschool and kindergarten programs.
Alabama also has broad limits on the use of cellphones in older grades. In 2025, the state banned many uses of personal devices in the classroom; teachers reported better focus and communication from students.
The bill now goes to the governor’s desk.
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