Lawmakers are considering a statewide bell- to-bell ban on cellphones in the classroom, igniting a debate once again on the issue.
Gov. Ned Lamont has proposed legislation that bans cellphones in classrooms, which has been referred to the Education Committee.
The Connecticut House of Representatives approved legislation last year that would have required all school districts statewide to “adopt a policy on the use of smartphones by students in K-12 schools,” according to information from Lamont’s office. However, that legislation did not pass the state Senate.
Lamont said in his State of the State Address that “Connecticut was a leader in getting these phones out of the classroom.
“Let’s go one step further – no phones bell-to-bell in any of our schools ..,” he said.
In August 2024, the Connecticut State Board of Education unanimously passed guidance advising districts to remove or restrict cellphones from K-12 classrooms. But districts are not required to remove or restrict cellphones from the classroom.
Several members of the Education Committee and the Connecticut Education Association are in favor of the ban, saying that a phone-free environment is needed as unlimited access to cellphones has created academic deficits. But some lawmakers on the committee and the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education question the need for a full ban, adding that it is unnecessary because virtually every district in the state already has a policy or is considering one. They also say that it is important for districts to tailor policies to the needs of their community.
CABE has said that most districts have adopted a policy around cellphones and that it varies between middle and high schools. But CEA President Kate Dias said that the policies are not consistent.
The Connecticut State Board of Education has said previously that they do not keep data on how many school districts have implemented cellphone bans. That changes today as Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker will be sharing results of a national and state scan conducted by the CSDE of school cellphone policies at the State Board of Education meeting.
Superintendents in four Connecticut districts that implemented cell phone bans over the past few years are seeing improvements in a number of areas.
Officials in Torrington, Waterbury, Manchester and New Haven have said they’re seeing fewer discipline referrals, increased student engagement, and some are reporting marked improvements in academic achievement. Students and education officials in those districts say the ban has also improved students’ mental health, focus and morale, leading to positive outcomes all around.
Fostering more student connection
State Rep. Jennifer Leeper, a Fairfield Democrat and co-chair of the Education Committee, has spearheaded advocating for a statewide ban on cellphones, saying schools should be placed free from needless distraction and “fostering more student connection and engagement.”
She said that she is thrilled to have the governor’s support for “our efforts to keep cellphones out of schools and ensure our kids are free to have a focused learning environment.”
Rep. Nick Menapace, a East Lyme Democrat, member of the Education Committee, and a teacher, said he believes a bell-to-bell cellphone ban is needed.
“My biggest frustration is these schools have a policy and the issue is that it is not being enforced,” he said. “I feel the policy essentially becomes the teacher’s job to enforce it.”
Dias said she polled 70 education leaders recently asking them to raise their hands if they have a “meaningful cellphone policy.”
She said four people raised their hands.
“It tells me if there are things happening they are not happening widespread,” she said. “We know there is a struggle to follow through on these policies. They are not consistent and they are far too reliant on the classroom teacher to make all of the decisions.”
But Rep. Lezlye Zupkus, a Prospect Republican and a ranking member of the Education Committee said that while she does not like cellphones in classes she is not in favor of a bell-to-bell ban.
“I believe in local control and every policy does not work for every school,” she said. “It should be left to the local districts to determine their policy.”
Patrice McCarthy, executive director and general counsel of the CABE, said that with a statewide mandate “you miss the opportunity to help parents, staff and students understand why this policy is important.”
She agreed with Zupkus that districts should be able to tailor the cellphone policy to needs of their community.
“Some districts have a bell-to-bell K-8 ban and at the high school level they provide more flexibility for students so they are prepared for life after high school where the rigid use of cellphones is not in place,” she said. “They are helping them develop responsible use for their cellphones.”
She added that she is not sure a mandate makes a difference.
“Some students are required to put phones in pouches and they don’t put their smart watch in a pouch,” she said. “There is still going to be a compliance issue.”
Dias said that CEA supports a bell-to-bell cellphone ban with the “understanding that the implementation of the ban really needs to be worked out at the local level.
“We are not trying to take away the implementation opportunity for the local district to make the decision about how does this roll out,” she said. “We are not in the space of dictating what it looks like.”
Rep. Kevin Brown, a Vernon Democrat and vice chair of the Education Committee, said that he agrees that it is important to limit distractions for students.
“Where I somewhat question it, is we have to somewhere along the line teach responsible use,” said Brown, who is also a social studies teacher. “You do have to find a balance where you are limiting distractions and getting kids off addictive algorithms and social media that are distracting them from their learning and taking away their ability to critically think. But I also know those devices are never going away. How do we make sure that they are able to use the things the phones provide but not be completely distracted by them so that they are not able to function?”