Smartphone Use In Schools: Hochul Hosts Hudson Valley Roundtable

YONKERS, NY — Gov. Kathy Hochul held a roundtable discussion with Hudson Valley educators and stakeholders Aug. 5 as part of her statewide listening tour focused on addressing smartphone use in schools.

It followed several recent sessions in the Capital Region, Long Island, Southern Tier and Western New York, and will continue with additional discussions with key stakeholders over the coming months.

Stakeholder engagement will play a key role as she develops a statewide policy proposal on smartphones in schools that will be announced later this year, she said.

“Our young people can succeed in the classroom when they’re learning and growing – not clicking and scrolling,” Hochul said. “I’ve already learned a great deal on this listening tour from educators and parents who want to deliver the best results for our kids. I’m excited to keep working with all stakeholders to develop effective solutions to address smartphones and other devices in New York’s schools.”

According to a Pew Research poll released in June, 72 percent of high school teachers nationwide say that students being distracted by cell phones is a major problem in their classroom. As part of her commitment to addressing this issue and creating more positive outcomes for students, families and educators, Hochul stated this spring that she plans to propose a statewide policy to tackle excessive smartphone use in schools.

Hochul has also highlighted that many schools across the state currently have individual policies seeking to address cell phone use in their classrooms. The Governor is focused on gathering perspectives on the successes and challenges seen by various schools and stakeholders statewide based on the current patchwork of individual school policies.

Today’s roundtable was held at the Yonkers Public Schools Board of Education and included State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, as well as administrators and teachers from several different schools in the region. Additional discussions over the coming months will be held across the state with a wide array of educators, parents, students and advocates.

“We are here today with a shared goal of discussing the best way forward to foster an educational environment that maximizes student learning and supports their mental well-being," Stewart-Cousins said. "Our work demands that we meet the challenges that arise in modern life, including the novel opportunities brought about by advances in technology.”

Additional participants at the roundtable included:

• State Senator Shelley Mayer
• Assemblymember Chris Burdick
• Assemblymember Chris Eachus
• Assemblymember Nader Sayegh
• Assemblymember Gary Pretlow
• White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach
• Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano
• White Plains Superintendent Joseph Ricca
• Yonkers Associate Superintendent Dr. Michelle Yazurlo
• Yonkers Board of Education President Dr. Rosalba Corrado DelVecchio
• Middletown High School Executive Principal William Donohue
• Newburgh Enlarged School District Superintendent Dr. Jackielyn Manning Campbell
• NYSUT Member Paulette Easterlin
• NYSUT Member Matt Haynes
• NYSUT Member MaryClaire Breslin
• Yonkers Federation of Teachers President and NYSUT at Large Board Member Samantha Rosado-Ciriello
• Yonkers Council of PTAs President Dr. Robin Brumfield

The challenges presented by cell phones in schools also highlight the ongoing issue of learning loss, especially in the post-pandemic era. Studies show that when a student's attention is divided between two tasks, such as listening to the teacher and being on internet enabled devices, they recall and retain less of what is being taught.

In June, Hochul signed two major pieces of legislation that will help create a safer digital environment for New York’s young people.

The SAFE for Kids Act requires social media companies to restrict addictive feeds on their platforms for users under 18. Unless parental consent is granted, users under 18 will not receive addictive feeds. Notably, the SAFE For Kids Act was the first law of its kind to be signed in any state across the nation.

The New York Child Data Protection Act will prohibit online sites and connected devices from collecting, using, sharing or selling personal data of anyone under the age of 18, unless they receive informed consent or unless doing so is strictly necessary for the purpose of the website.

This summer, Hochul launched the “Get Offline, Get Outside” campaign to promote physical and mental health by helping New York’s kids and families to put down their phones, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings. In addition to waiving pool fees at New York State Parks, expanding access to outdoor activities and other announcements, this campaign has already helped inspire major increases in attendance at State Parks this summer. State Park attendance over the July 4 weekend hit 2.8 million visitors statewide – an increase of 30 percent compared to the same period of time last year.