The Advocate December 2025: Federal Policy Surge on Kids and Technology: What It Means for Schools

In recent weeks, federal policymakers have taken unprecedented action on issues affecting children and technology. Just before Thanksgiving, the House Commerce Committee introduced 19 technology-related bills—many with direct implications for students and schools—which were marked up on December 11.

Separately, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, hosted a listening session on December 10 focused on “Kids’ Excessive Screen Time.” While these events are not directly connected, both signal major shifts in how districts must protect children’s privacy and manage access to inappropriate content on school-purchased devices.

During the December 12 markup, Commerce Subcommittee Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) described the legislative package as “a comprehensive strategy to protect kids and teens online. Our approach is clear: protect kids, empower parents, and future-proof our legislation as new risks and technologies emerge. Families deserve clarity. Parents deserve control. And bad actors must face real consequences.”

Among the bills approved were the House versions of COPPA 2.0 and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). COPPA 2.0 would strengthen protections and impose stricter controls on the online collection, use, and disclosure of personal information for children and teens. KOSA empowers the Federal Trade Commission to safeguard minors from online platforms that use design features to increase engagement and screen time. Both bills passed along party lines.

While AASA endorsed the Senate versions of both COPPA 2.0 AND KOSA, we wrote a letter along with other education partners, expressing serious concern about the House COPPA 2.0 and KOSA bills. The broad preemption language in these bills could override state laws regulating edtech vendors who handle student data, such as California’s Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA) and similar laws in 23 other states. Additional bills, including the Algorithmic Choice and Transparency Act and the Safer Guarding of Adolescents from Malicious Interactions on Networking Games (GAMING) Act, may have unintended consequences for schools using collaborative and gamified edtech platforms to personalize learning. These bills now move to the full House Commerce Committee, with further action expected in early 2026.

The NTIA’s listening session on December 10 highlighted concerns about excessive student screen time, with advocates citing negative impacts on memory, attention, IQ, creative thinking, and critical thinking. Some critics argued that edtech companies prioritize profits over educational outcomes, and questioned the value and safety of artificial intelligence in education. Others criticized connectivity programs like E-Rate for enabling access to inappropriate content. However, defenders—including CoSN Executive Director Keith Krueger—emphasized that educational screen time, governed by district policies and curriculum, is fundamentally different from unsupervised online activity. Jon Bernstein, Co-Chair of the Education and Libraries Networks Coalition (of which AASA is a member), clarified that E-Rate is a connectivity program, not a driver of screen time, and that all E-Rate-supported connections are filtered to block inappropriate content.

Despite these debates, there is growing concern that Congress or the FCC could require districts to adopt new, potentially problematic policies as a condition for receiving E-Rate discounts.

AASA will continue to monitor developments at the FCC, NTIA, and in Congress, advocating for the preservation of the E-Rate program and for federal laws that empower schools to maintain robust, privacy-protective safeguards for educational technology.