- Maine launched the first statewide laptop program in 2002, aiming to provide internet access for students.
- By 2016, Maine distributed 66,000 devices, but test scores did not improve, leading to criticism of the program.
- U.S. schools spent over $30 billion on laptops and tablets by 2024, but technology has been linked to declining cognitive skills in Gen Z.
- Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath testified that Gen Z scores lower on standardized tests and shows a correlation between screen time and poor academic performance.
- Research indicates that classroom technology often leads to off-task behavior, hindering learning due to attention interruptions and weaker memory formation.
- Addictive app designs, like social media and gaming, contribute to reduced focus and counterproductive learning environments.
- Solutions proposed include efficacy standards for digital tools, limits on data tracking for minors, and cellphone bans in schools.
- Horvath emphasizes that the decline in critical thinking is a policy failure, not a personal one, calling Gen Z victims of a flawed educational experiment.