Connecticut Pushes for Reduced Screen Time as Students Head Back to School

As students return to school and families prepare for another academic year, Connecticut is trying to bring a new perspective to the classroom – one with much less screen time.

Governor Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker have urged local school districts to consider implementing recommendations regarding use of personal technology like smartphones in schools. The guidance was approved by the State Board of Education and recommends restricting use of cell phones during the school day to keep students engaged, support their emotional well-being and strengthen their interpersonal and social communications.

According to Common Sense Media, 43% of children ages 8-12 have their own phone, while that number leaps as high as 95% for students ages 13-18; half of children nationally get their first smartphone by the age of 11. In a study, adolescents used their phones anywhere from four to 16 hours per day, depending on usage strategies; 97% of students reported using phones during school hours for time periods ranging from just a minute to a max of 6.5 hours.

In recent years, policies trying to keep students off their phones have grown significantly across the country. Some states, like Florida, have fully banned students using cell phones during classes, while other policies are less strict. Some schools limit use only during classroom time, while others prevent their use all day. Strategies range from drop-off points in individual classrooms to Yondr pouches, which lock phones inside until students leave school for the day. According to Education Week, nearly 77% of schools bar non-academic use of phones during school hours.

This push is gaining steam, with the U.S. Surgeon General saying children under the age of 14 shouldn’t use social media and studies connecting screen time with mental health issues, including a tie between depression and phone use. World Metrics reported that 73% of teachers believe cell phone usage in schools harms learning, nearly half of students have cheated using their phones and two in five teachers have received complaints from students about inappropriate content on phones. While three in four students say cell phones help them stay organized and manage their schedules, schools with no-phone policies are reporting positive results.

Rice University reported that studies continually support policies limiting phone use, with 61% of parents and more than 90% of principals supporting school phone bans, citing their potential to impede focus, increase cyberbullying, as well as other issues. The New York Times reported that cell phone bans reduced cyberbullying in Spain and led to female students improving their grades.

In its development of the policies, the State Board of Education recommended removing cell phones from elementary and middle schools, with high schools given some ability to determine what “excessive use” entails. The board recommended that high schools develop policies that turn off cell phones and keep them out of sight in classrooms to help students focus on learning. It cited existing policies that range from school to school including in Torrington, Milford and Lisbon

Posted by Joe O’Leary