Google’s ‘school time’ setting for kids coming to Android devices

On-screen example of Google's school time setting.

Over the next year, parents whose children have Android phones and tablets will notice a new setting called “school time,” Google announced Thursday.

The parental control allows caregivers to set limits on their child’s device functionality while at school, or during other periods when they want to minimize distraction.

The setting is already available on Fitbit’s recently introduced Ace LTE smartwatch for kids, and will be rolled out to Samsung Galaxy watches as well.

Mindy Brooks, general manager for kids and families at Google, said in the blog post announcement that the company heard from parents who wanted to minimize digital distractions for their child at school, but still wanted the ability to contact them in an emergency. Parents will have the option to allow calls or texts from specific contacts.

School time sets a child’s device to a dedicated home screen, limiting its functionality. Parents can restrict access to specific apps during this time period by selecting them in Google’s Family Link.

Educators, who’ve long complained that phone and device use disrupts their ability to teach and contributes to burnout, may also be interested in the setting.