By Hank Russell
A poll put out by Governor Kathy Hochul’s office on December 1 found that an overwhelming majority of educators statewide approve of the enacted bell-to-bell ban on cellphones in schools.
Three hundred fifty school administrators statewide responded to the poll. Among the findings:
- 92% said the transition to a distraction-free policy went smoothly.
- 83% reported that their schools are experiencing more positive classroom environments and better student engagement since implementing a distraction-free policy.
- 75% reported that implementing a distraction-free policy is improving their ability to teach effectively.
The results included comments from school principals, superintendents and administrators. One principal from a Long Island school said, “It has been a very positive shift in our school community. Thank you for all of your support!”
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, Hochul announced a proposal for a cell phone back in May. Under the new policy, unsanctioned use of cell phones and other Internet-enabled personal devices were not allowed during the school day, schools were allowed to develop their own plans to store the phones during the day with the input of teachers, parents and students, the state would provide $13.5 million for schools that needed to buy storage solutions for the phones, and the school would require parents to a way for parents to contact their children in the event of an emergency.
“Our kids are finding greater success in the classroom when they’re focused on learning, not scrolling,” Hochul said. “This year, I was proud to champion a statewide distraction-free schools initiative, working hand-in-hand with New York teachers, students, and parents to create a policy that works for each community across our state. These survey results are indicative of that effort, illustrating the effectiveness of our tailored approach to phone-free schools, and offer a glimpse of the success to come for our students.”