M&R is investigating complaints from parents and students regarding the potentially harmful effects of using certain technology in D.C. Public Schools (DCPS).

Reported Issues:

Students and their families report:

Using I-Ready, software used in DCPS for personalized reading and math assessments
Using screens for many hours during each school day
That I-Ready is ineffective and wastes students’ and teachers’ time. For example, students do not have the ability to skip or speed up the software’s spoken prompts and animations
That elementary-aged students are subjected to prolonged daily screen exposure during school hours
Concerns that excessive screen use may negatively impact children’s attention spans, focus, social and cognitive development, and learning outcomes

Why Individuals Should Be Concerned:

Potential claims include:

Negligence
Cognitive and developmental harm
Failure to adequately safeguard students’ educational and developmental interests
Loss of meaningful instruction time

Signs You May Be Affected:

Your child attends DCPS
Your child uses I-Ready or similar educational software during the school day
Your child spends many hours each school day using screens in the classroom
Your child expresses concern or frustration with I-Ready or the use of screens during school
You notice changes in your child’s focus, attention span, or behavior following increased screen-based learning
You are concerned about the amount of screen time your child experiences during school hours
You believe screen-based instruction has interfered with your child’s educational experience or learning outcomes

If you or your child have encountered these issues, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520