BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — When the school year began in September, New York became the largest state in the U.S. with a bell-to-bell ban on smartphones and other internet-enabled devices in K-12 schools.
Now, Governor Kathy Hochul said the results of a statewide end-of-year survey on distraction-free learning show the bell-to-bell ban in schools "is working."
According to Hochul, the governor's office received 585 total responses representing all regions across the state, grade levels and roles in schools. Hochul said the key takeaways included:
- 80% said that implementing a phone-free policy has delivered positive results for their school
- 76% reported positive changes in classroom behavior, such as improved attention, respect for peers, and following directions
- 76% said student engagement increased
- 75% said their ability to teach effectively improved
- 80% saw student social connections improve
- 60% reported a decline in bullying and cyberbullying incidents
“I successfully fought for New York schools to go phone-free because our kids succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling – and these survey results show our nation-leading policy is working. Teachers overwhelmingly report that without constant smartphone distractions, students are more focused on learning and more engaged with their peers. These are results we can all be proud of, and I congratulate New York students and educators as we near the end of an outstanding school year.”
The results of this survey follow a mid-year survey from December in which Hochul said that the ban was "delivering outstanding results for New York students and teachers."
You can find our report on the mid-year survey here.
On Monday, New York’s largest teachers union called for limits on screen time and student-facing artificial intelligence in schools, especially for younger students. You can find our report here.
