School systems can now provide parents with real-time insights into how students use their devices — while keeping full authority over what information is shared.
Screen Time in Parent Portal bridges that divide. Districts can now initiate constructive discussions with families rather than waiting to respond to concerns.”— Matthew Burg, VP of Product IT Solutions at Lightspeed SystemsAUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, July 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Lightspeed Systems, a frontrunner in K-12 digital safety, student well-being, and device administration, has announced that Screen Time in Parent Portal is now generally available. This new capability allows school districts to share live device usage information directly with parents and guardians.
Lightspeed’s internal research reveals that 73% of parents worry about their child’s online activities and screen time — yet most lack any direct insight into their student’s specific device usage patterns. Meanwhile, the actual numbers paint a different picture than many anticipate: average daily screen time during school hours is only 48 minutes, with the bulk of that time dedicated to instructional resources rather than social media or entertainment.
Through Screen Time in Parent Portal, families can view how much time their child spends on a school-issued device — including a daily average, total hours over the preceding week, most frequently used applications, and a split between in-school and after-school use. This information is delivered through the Lightspeed Parent Portal, a system already managed and controlled by districts.
IT administrators determine whether to activate the feature and select which specific data cards are visible — providing districts with the flexibility to address parent and board requests without losing control over the information families receive.
“Most screen time during the school day is educational — but parents have no way of knowing that. What districts keep telling us is that the worry doesn’t come from bad data; it comes from a complete lack of data. Screen Time in Parent Portal bridges that divide. Districts can now initiate constructive discussions with families rather than waiting to respond to concerns,” stated Matthew Burg, VP of Product IT Solutions at Lightspeed Systems.
Screen Time in Parent Portal is driven by Lightspeed Insight, meaning the same data that administrators already review can now be surfaced to families by districts. No new data gathering, extra setup, or additional fees are required — the feature is included for all customers holding active Lightspeed Filter™ and Lightspeed Insight™ licenses with SmartSync configured.
Parents can also click a “How is this calculated?” explanation right on the screen time page, equipping families with the background they need to comprehend and rely on the information.
Availability
Screen Time in Parent Portal is accessible immediately to all customers with active Lightspeed Filter and Lightspeed Insight licenses and SmartSync configured, at no extra charge. Administrators can turn it on from Filter Settings → Parent Portal.
About Lightspeed Systems
With over 25 years dedicated to education, Lightspeed Systems provides the deepest visibility and control to power outstanding schools where students are safe and engaged; technology is compliant and easily managed; and resources are protected and optimized. Built specifically for school networks and devices, Lightspeed’s cloud-managed solutions feature the most effective web filtering, student safety monitoring, classroom management, device management, and data analytics software on the market. Based in Austin, Texas, with a European office in London, UK, Lightspeed supports more than 23 million students across 31,000 schools in 43 countries, using 15 million devices.
Amy Bennett
Chief of Staff, Lightspeed Systems
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