The United States has spent more than $30 billion equipping schools with laptops and tablets, yet some experts now argue the results have been deeply disappointing. More than two decades after Maine launched the first statewide laptop initiative, researchers are questioning whether the digital revolution in classrooms has weakened, rather than strengthened, student learning.
In 2002, Maine rolled out 17,000 Apple laptops to seventh graders across 243 middle schools under then-Governor Angus King’s Maine Learning Technology Initiative. By 2016, that figure had climbed to 66,000 laptops and tablets. Similar efforts spread nationwide, culminating in tens of billions of dollars in technology investments by 2024, according to Fortune.
But neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath told the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation earlier this year that Gen Z is the first generation in modern history to score lower on standardized tests than the one before it. Drawing on Program for International Student Assessment data and other global metrics, Horvath pointed to declining literacy and numeracy scores. He also highlighted a correlation between increased computer use in school and weaker academic performance.
Horvath argues that widespread, unrestricted access to screens may be undermining cognitive development rather than enhancing it. He stressed that the issue is not about rejecting technology outright, but about aligning educational tools with how the human brain actually learns. According to him, the friction and effort involved in deep learning are essential, and digital environments often reduce that productive struggle.
Evidence of limited returns appeared years ago. Fortune reported in 2017 that Maine’s public school test scores had not improved during the 15 years of its laptop initiative. Former Governor Paul LePage even labeled the program a massive failure despite continued contracts with Apple.
Meanwhile, classroom screen time has surged. A 2021 EdWeek Research Center poll found that more than half of teachers use educational technology between one and four hours daily, with another quarter exceeding five hours. Studies have also shown that students frequently drift into off-task activities when using computers, spending nearly two-thirds of their time distracted in one 2014 university survey.
Horvath warns that declining cognitive capability could have consequences beyond academics. As generative AI reshapes entry-level jobs and global challenges grow more complex, he argues that society needs a generation capable of sustained attention, nuanced thinking, and creative problem-solving. Without that, the costs may extend far beyond test scores.
