MADISON — Families opting their children out of school-issued Chromebooks in the Madison Metropolitan School District increased from 44 last school year to 249 this year, a more than fivefold jump as some parents push for less screen-based instruction, particularly in elementary grades. The opt-outs remain a small share of the district’s more than 25,000 students. But parents say the increase reflects growing concern about how often children use screens for classroom work and whether paper-based options are available when families decline a device. The district began providing Chromebooks to students in grades three through 12 about a decade ago, then expanded device access to all students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Families can now decline a Chromebook and Google account during registration. The opt-out option was first offered for the 2019-20 school year, paused during remote learning and brought back last school year. Several parents who opted out said they want young children to build foundational reading, writing and math skills without relying on screens. Sarah Catalano, whose kindergartner attends Lapham Elementary, said declining the device was a way to signal her concerns to the district. Other parents said they were surprised by how much Chromebook use they encountered, given district guidance on screen time for younger students. A district analysis of Chromebook activity this spring found average student screen time exceeded the district’s recommended limits at every grade level. Research on digital learning has produced mixed findings: some studies point to benefits from online tools, while others raise concerns about distraction and report advantages for reading print and writing by hand. The shift has created practical challenges in some classrooms. District instructional technology manager Eric Benedict said some lessons can be printed, but parts of the curriculum and some testing platforms are available only online. The district is working with vendors to develop paper alternatives, he said; students who opt out can borrow a Chromebook for state exams. Parents described uneven experiences. One Thoreau Elementary family said its second grader had few difficulties, while a fourth grader’s online science lessons — including experiment videos and simulations — required using a borrowed Chromebook or sharing with a classmate. The family later allowed Chromebook use for some subjects while keeping reading and writing offline. Some parents also said the registration form did not clearly explain what opting out would mean in class. The form tells families they are responsible for coordinating directly with their child’s school. Benedict said the district is considering family feedback as it prepares registration language for next year. A local parent group, Parent Check on Tech, is calling for an “analog default,” with screens used when a lesson’s educational purpose cannot be replicated offline. Its proposal would keep grades 4K through second device-free, use shared carts or computer labs in grades three through eight, and provide individual Chromebooks to high school students. The district is conducting a broader review of technology use through a digital learning roadmap, including instructional practices and guidelines for screen time and artificial intelligence. District leaders have invited community volunteers to help guide that work and are accepting written input. The review comes as families and educators weigh how to preserve useful digital skills while ensuring students have meaningful access to offline learning.