MO SB1703

Requires school districts and charter schools (excluding virtual schools) to adopt written screen time and instructional technology policies for elementary students in grades K-5 by the end of the 2027-28 school year

Mandates policies address limits on student screen time during and outside school hours, standards for use of manipulatives and traditional materials (printed books, handwriting materials), and parental access to their child's device login and usage information

Establishes a 12-15 member "Framework on Classroom Use of Screens (FOCUS) Council" appointed by the Commissioner of Education to study screen time impacts on educational outcomes, behavior, special education, and early childhood brain development

Requires the FOCUS Council to hold its first meeting before December 1, 2026, and submit a report with recommendations and a model school board policy to the state board of education, governor, and joint committee on education by July 1, 2027

Expands the existing literacy advisory council's duties to include recommendations on cursive writing instruction and its role in promoting student literacy