A Resolution directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to carry out a performance audit on public school policies and procedures related to the amount of screen time students are allowed during the school day.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jill Cooper and 8 co-sponsors

The bill directs an LBFC performance audit of school day screen time policies to assess effects on learning, health, equity, and identify policy improvements.

Referred to Education

Summary of Bill: HR 543 (Pennsylvania, 2025-2026)

Purpose and Intent

Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) to conduct a performance audit of public school policies and procedures related to the amount of screen time allowed for students during the school day.

The bill seeks to evaluate how current policies impact student learning, health, and well-being, and to identify opportunities for improvement or alignment with best practices.

Key Provisions and Changes

Requirement: The LBFC must carry out a performance audit focusing specifically on:

Public school policies and procedures governing student screen time during the school day.
How these policies are developed, implemented, and evaluated for effectiveness.
The impact of screen time on educational outcomes, student mental and physical health, and equity concerns.

Scope of Review (as inferred from typical LBFC performance audits):

Policy development processes, including stakeholder engagement (teachers, parents, students, administrators).
Compliance with applicable state or federal guidelines.
Data collection methods and metrics used to measure screen time exposure and effects.
Budgetary and resource implications of current screen time policies.
Identification of best practices and recommendations for policy refinement, teacher support, and student well-being.

Reporting: The LBFC must prepare and submit a performance audit report with findings, conclusions, and actionable recommendations. The report is typically transmitted to the General Assembly and may include:

Policy options with fiscal and operational implications.
Proposed timelines for implementing recommendations.
Any necessary legislation or regulatory changes.

Who Would Be Affected

Public school districts, charter schools, and cyber/virtual programs within Pennsylvania, including:

School administrators responsible for implementing screen-time policies.
Teachers and instructional staff integrating technology into instruction.
Students whose daily screen exposure occurs in the classroom or school-supported activities.
Parents and guardians who are interested in how screen time is managed in schools.

State and local policymakers overseeing education policy and school funding decisions.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Legislative Process:

The bill has moved through committee review and floor consideration in the Pennsylvania House, with sequential referrals and votes noted in the record.
The intended outcome is to empower LBFC to perform the audit and present findings to the General Assembly.

Status and Next Steps:

After completion of the LBFC audit, results would typically be released publicly and discussed in committee hearings.
Depending on findings, the General Assembly may consider related policy or budgetary measures to implement recommendations.

Additional Context

The bill is part of a broader set of education policy considerations around technology use in schools, though its primary focus is on auditing and evaluating current screen-time policies rather than mandating new specific screen-time limits.

The bill’s sponsor and co-sponsors include a wide cross-section of members, indicating potential bipartisan support for evaluating school technology policies.

If you’d like, I can add a simple checklist of potential audit questions the LBFC might include (e.g., definitions of screen time, data sources, comparisons to national best practices, and cost estimates for policy changes).