In the near future, we intend to introduce legislation to make Pennsylvania schools phone-free.
 
Each year, more and more studies are showing the negative impact of smartphones on the development of our children.  Historical data shows a steep decline in mental health in children between 2010-2019 where rates of depression and anxiety rose 50%, the suicide rate for adolescents ages 10-19 rose 48%, while the suicide rate for girls ages 10-14 rose and astonishing 131%.
 
Just this week, a new study published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities found that children who receive smartphones before the age of 13 were significantly more likely to experience serious mental health problems in early adulthood including aggression, emotional instability, and suicidal thoughts.
 
Yet the average age for a child to have a smartphone in Pennsylvania is reportedly 10.5, a number that seems to get younger every year.
 
We also know children and teens are using their smartphones excessively.  Between 2010-2015, US teens with smartphones rose from 23% to 73%, with a quarter admitting to being online “almost constantly”.  Now, teens spend an average of nearly eight hours a day on their phones, equivalent to a full-time job, and receive an average of 237 notifications on their phone a day.
 
The impact of these addictive devices in schools cannot be ignored.  Academic achievement declined over this same period as the use of smartphones rose.  In 2012, math and reading scores dropped for the first time in 25 years, beginning a downward trend that continues today.  We know phones are not only a distraction for the owner of the phone, but the entire class is disrupted by the constant ringing, buzzing, and checking of these devices.  This not only results in learning loss for students, but it creates a frustrating environment for educators who try to maintain focus and order in the classroom.
 
A PEW Research Center study found that 72% of US high school teachers say cellphone distraction is a major problem in the classroom.  So it’s no surprise that a 2024 poll from the National Education Association showed 90% of teachers support prohibiting the use of phones during instructional time and 75% support a bell-to-bell ban, which prohibits the use of cellphones from the first bell of the school day until the last bell of the school day.
 
While the Commonwealth has continued to provide financial resources to help students in need of mental health services, we must also target one of the root causes of our children’s mental distress: widespread access to smartphones and social media apps.
 
The correlating data between the mental health decline and academic decline of children and the rise of smartphones is clear.
 
While the broader discussion of whether age limits should be applied to smartphones and social media, we can make an immediate impact to improve the health and academic performance of our children through distraction free learning while at school.
 
To that end, we intend to introduce legislation to require schools to adopt and implement a policy that prohibits the use of phones during the school day.  Exceptions would be made for students with medical conditions or individualized education plans that require the use of a personal communication device.  
 
If enacted, Pennsylvania would join 27 states in restricting these devices including New York, Virginia, and Florida. 
 
Studies show cellphone restrictions in school have a positive impact on academic performance, and even students say restrictions have improved their mental health.  
 
Our students deserve the opportunity to learn without a constant distraction in their pockets.  Please join us in supporting this bill to restrict this addictive device in schools.