HARTFORD, Conn. — Editor's Note: Video above originally aired in March 2024.
In Gov. Ned Lamont's push to get cell phones out of the classroom, the governor's office and the Connecticut State Board of Education have released a report that states their position on the issue and policy guidance for school districts to consider when making their cell phone policies.
The guidance is part of a five-year plan to get "Every Student Prepared for Learning, Life and Work Beyond School."
While the state BOE believes technology used "thoughtfully" can help learning, like developing digital citizenship modeling and media literacy, they also believe that unrestricted access to devices and social media can diminish opportunities for in-person interaction and attention to learning in the classroom. The concern for students' mental health is also why these policy guidelines are being issued.
The State BOE recommends elementary and middle schools to remove cell phones from the classroom and the school day. No phones in an elementary school classroom would "maximize academic, social, and emotional development," the state BOE said. Restricting phone use in middle schools would curb the misuse of cell phones as they navigate "increased autonomy and independence during the school day," the state BOE said.
High schools would still be encouraged to restrict cell phone access in the classroom but could allow policies like letting students keep their phones if they're shut off and put away. Officials advise that high schoolers might go online and experience inappropriate content and cyberbullying on or off school grounds, which means schools should set expectations regarding technology use in the student Code of Conduct.
The guidance asks local boards of education and school administrators to put together a plan that works for their districts, implement it, and keep track of feedback.
The responsibility doesn't just fall onto schools. Families, caregivers and students are encouraged to have a healthy relationship with technology outside of school as well.
A handful of schools in Connecticut have implemented a cell phone policy in which phones are locked in a magnetic pouch for the school day, and these districts said they have seen positive results. Students from Illing Middle School in Manchester said back in March 2024 that the Yondr pouches keep distractions away and help kids socialize during the school day and even after school.
Read the full report here.
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