Are there parental controls for the laptops my school sends home with kids?

Most one-to-one programs (where each kid gets a laptop or device) include all of the software and hardware that students need to do their work, and they can't be customized with specific parental-control features, though you can ask if they come with built-in controls.

If the device doesn't come with preinstalled parental controls, content will be filtered through the school's network when your kid is on campus. But once the device is at home, that's not the case.

Your first and best course of action is to ask your kid about the school rules for the device, since they also apply at home. What are the consequences if they play games or visit sites they're not supposed to? If they don't know, the school handbook should have that information for you to review together. Next, find out what kind of instruction kids get about digital citizenship: Do they get taught about safe and responsible tech use? It might also help to talk to your kid about digital distractions. When they're just a tab away, it can be hard to resist! But staying on task means more learning happens—and homework gets finished faster!

Finally, if you're looking for a more tech-based solution, there's an option for content, but not for time. In other words, there's no tech-based way to set time limits on a school-issued device. When it comes to content, however, an internet filter on your home network (similar to the one used by the school) can help. We (and many schools) like the free service offered by OpenDNS. OpenDNS blocks sites at the router (the device that connects your home machines to the internet), so inappropriate content never enters your house. While no filter or parental control is failsafe (and kids are very skilled at finding workarounds), it can help limit concerning content.

If problems arise, working with your kid and their teacher(s) to find a solution is the way forward. When you're all on the same page, kids know there's a closed loop of communication, and expectations are clear, tech-based controls are less necessary.