Policymakers should take steps to limit the influence of for-profit technology companies in schools, according to a new policy brief from American Compass. The paper, “Teaching to the Tech,” written by Brad Littlejohn, argues that the growing use of technology in classrooms has led to poorer student outcomes and that the rise of artificial intelligence as an educational tool could make these problems worse.
The report notes that since the launch of the first-generation iPad in 2010, personal devices have become a common part of education in the United States. Unlike earlier models where computers were restricted to labs, tech companies have promoted individual devices as learning tools. By 2022, there were 50 million Chromebooks used in American classrooms.
At the same time, educational performance has declined. Reading and math scores are at their lowest point in decades. Students are also experiencing more mental health issues and social problems such as shorter attention spans, increased isolation, and greater exposure to harmful content like pornography through school-issued devices.
The paper highlights concerns about artificial intelligence being introduced into classrooms without proper oversight. Littlejohn points out that an executive order issued by the Trump administration in April 2025 on AI in education may lead to more classroom technology use before it is properly vetted.
He recommends several actions for policymakers: “Issue a supplementary executive order highlighting principles to guide AI educational policy, organized under Goals, Governance, Pedagogy, and Design; Extend the timetables for the Artificial Education Task Force, and; Convene a Working Group on Technology in the Classroom to bring together researchers, frontline educators, parents’ advocates, technologists, and child development experts to build out these principles into robust guidelines that can serve as the basis for a federal EdTech certification program.”
The full policy brief can be accessed through American Compass’s website.
