The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) wants to hear from Dunwoody and Brookhaven parents about how much time their children spend on Chromebooks during the school day.

Interim Superintendent Norman C. Sauce III's administration opened a Student Screen Time Survey on Monday, Aug. 31, and will accept responses through Friday, Sept. 11. The survey asks families and community members to weigh in on the amount and appropriateness of time students spend on district-issued laptops, Chromebooks and tablets for classwork.

The district said results will shape guidance on device use that is balanced, purposeful and age-appropriate.

What the survey covers

The survey focuses on instructional screen time only. That means time students spend on district-issued devices to access lessons, complete assignments, practice skills, conduct research, create content and collaborate with classmates.

It does not cover personal phones or smartwatches. DCSD already banned those under a separate policy, according to a district newsletter.

All district schools became phone-free zones this school year under the Disconnect to Reconnect initiative and Georgia's Distraction-Free Education Act (HB 1009). That state law requires students to power off and put away personal electronic devices, including cell phones, headphones, earbuds and smartwatches, during the school day.

The screen time survey tackles a different question: whether district-owned devices used for teaching are getting the balance right.

Who should take it

The survey is open to any DCSD family or community member. Families at Dunwoody High School and Chamblee Charter High School have a direct stake as two of the district's largest campuses.

What happens next

The district has not said what specific policy changes the survey could trigger or whether the Board of Education will vote on any resulting device-use guidance. The announcement states only that feedback will inform the development of new guidance.

No timeline beyond the Sept. 11 deadline has been published. The survey is available on the district's survey page.