Senate Testimony Links Classroom Technology to Declining Student Test Scores

Industry Pulse News Desk · 2026-09-12

A neuroscientist told lawmakers that widespread adoption of computers in schools correlates with falling reading and math scores worldwide.

WASHINGTON — The widespread integration of digital devices in classrooms has coincided with a sustained decline in student standardized test scores across the United States and internationally, according to recent congressional testimony by a prominent neuroscientist.

Jared Cooney Horvath, a former teacher and researcher, presented data to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation showing that increased screen time in schools correlates with lower performance in reading and mathematics. Data from international assessments and state testing systems indicate that performance gains reversed after schools introduced mandatory digital infrastructure and widespread device deployment.

In Utah, standardized reading and math scores for fourth- and eighth-graders began a steady downturn after 2014, coinciding with the launch of the state's first computer-adaptive testing system. Global data from the Program for International Student Assessment similarly revealed an inverse relationship between classroom computer use and student cognitive performance on standardized evaluations.

U.S. school districts have spent more than $30 billion placing laptops and tablets in classrooms since statewide device programs began in the early 2000s. Horvath argued that aggressive expansion by technology companies drove schools to adopt digital tools under the premise that they would improve learning outcomes, despite a lack of supporting cognitive research.

Horvath cautioned lawmakers that the issue is not about rejecting technology entirely, but ensuring educational tools align with human cognitive capabilities. He noted that indiscriminate digital expansion has ultimately weakened classroom learning environments rather than strengthening them.