After banning cellphones from NYS classrooms, Hochul looks at further limiting students' screen time

ALBANY — Students are using laptops and tablets for everything from group writing projects to math practice, and concern is growing over how much screen time is too much, particularly for younger students.

Now, after New York banned cellphones in schools, state education leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul say reductions in screen time could be next.

"I'm learning a lot — as a parent and grandparent also — about devices for the younger students. And some of the early schools are saying not for younger ones — keep the kids off the screens overall," she said at a June 1 event in New York City on the topic. "I think that my gut tells me that's the way to go, but I also don't want to interfere with a way to educate our students that teachers may be wanting to do. The answer is: We don't have an answer right now, but it's definitely worth looking into."

Screens were vital to at-home instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now schools across the state and Long Island are starting to reduce screen time and reassess the best use of the technology.

The U.S. surgeon general in May issued a warning on the harms of excessive screen use, saying it can be linked to "poor educational and health outcomes in school aged children."

State and education leaders are considering broader action, such as guidance or even a state law.

"The use of technology is everywhere now ... there’s something that’s been lost as part of that shift and our educators are really sounding the alarm because they want to get that back," said Melinda Person, president of the New York State United Teachers, the state’s largest teachers union, representing nearly 700,000 members. "New York should really be setting the standard."

The union is pushing for developmentally appropriate limits on screen time and artificial intelligence in schools statewide, including a ban on the use of one-on-one devices for most students in prekindergarten through second grade.

It’s still the beginning of the conversation, but members would like some sort of statewide guidance, Person said.

Other education groups and experts are hesitant to have the state step in, saying it’s a far more complex issue than banning cellphones.

"This is a broader conversation that needs to be handled holistically and absolutely not a one-size model," said Greg Berck, director of advocacy and legal counsel for the New York State Council of School Superintendents.

Unlike cellphones, which are a distraction in the classroom, there needs to be more research on screen time and how it’s being used, he told Newsday.

"The key issue here is not just screens, but what is on their screens," he said. 

A ‘positive’ trend

New York banned the use of cellphones in schools starting in the 2025-26 school year in an effort to protect students’ mental health and increase opportunities for learning and socialization.

Conversations over youth cellphone and social media use have sparked a large discussion over screen time — one that’s being had statewide, nationally and internationally.

The Los Angeles Unified School District in June banned the use of screens for students in early education through first grade and set time limits for older grades. And there’s a push in Sweden to go back to pen and paper.

"Overall, this is a very positive trend," said Kimberly Kopko, an expert in child development at Cornell University.

Kopko said she’s in favor of eliminating screen use for younger students as children learn through play, and personal interactions are important for social, emotional and cognitive development.

Early exposure to screens is linked to poorer language outcomes, and there are mental health and behavioral concerns for teens, particularly when it comes to social media, according to an advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General's Office. Screen use can also disrupt sleep, which is critical for learning, mood, behavior, physical health and overall development, the advisory said.

"It’s a conversation I think every parent is having and I think every parent is concerned about," said Susan Fisher, of Rockville Centre, who has two sons.

Nathan, her 15-year-old, has parental controls on his cellphone and computer, time limits on his social media apps and screens aren’t allowed in his bedroom overnight, said Fisher, who also serves as the legislation coordinator for the New York State PTA.

It’s hard because he has a Chromebook and he’s "on that all the time for school and for studying," she said.

A complex issue

There’s no template for how to reduce screen time for all students, said Kopko, senior extension associate director of The Parenting Project: Healthy Children, Families & Communities.

"Not all screens are equal and age matters," she said. "Laptops and tablets may have a limited place in the classroom for older students. It really depends on how they're being used."

It's important to be realistic about how screen time limits may be implemented, Kopko said. "We have to be patient until we are able to conduct research and learn the results, and adjust along the way," she said.

Teacher training and curriculum development would also be needed, education experts said.

"We’re still at the early stages of trying to understand what issues may exist," Berck told Newsday. Putting an hour limit or a timeline for screen time based on grade levels without looking at how schools are using the technology feels "arbitrary and premature," he said, adding the conversation needs to be led by school leaders and curriculum experts.

Garden City public schools have already started to rein in technology use for younger students, and have brought older students into the conversation discussing the use of technology and ethical use of AI, schools Superintendent Kusum Sinha told Newsday.

"We've been very intentional about ensuring technology is used when it enhances learning," Sinha said. 

Kindergartners and first graders use iPads in short intervals for math practice, while fourth and fifth graders are using screen time to learn keyboarding skills, she said.

"We want our young students picking up a pencil, writing by hand, turning the pages of a book, talking with one another," Sinha said. "Those foundational experiences remain essential."

Sinha supports the state’s emphasis on reducing unnecessary screen time, but, she said, districts need flexibility to implement changes in ways that reflect sound instructional practice.

There’s a difference between students collaborating with their peers on a shared writing project versus doing 20 minutes of multiple choice practice on a device, she said.

"Technology that allows students to create, collaborate, investigate, communicate or solve authentic problems serves a very different educational purpose than technology used simply for passive consumption or repetitive practice," Sinha said. 

What’s next?

Hochul said she wants to take time to study the issue as she did with cellphones.

"I spent a year going around the state gathering information, assessing it, analyzing it and coming up with a really solid policy," Hochul said, stressing the need to discuss AI in particular. 

Hochul, a Democrat, is running for reelection in November and is being challenged by Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Blakeman’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the issue of screen time.

NYSUT is hosting a conference in the fall to bring together teachers and other stakeholder groups to discuss the issue.

And the  state Education Department is developing statewide guidance for the use of digital tools, AI and other technologies in schools.

"As these technologies continue to evolve, NYSED recognizes their potential to support teaching and learning, as well as the importance of evaluating their use to ensure positive student outcomes," spokesman J.P. O’Hare said in an emailed statement. The department "welcomes an open dialogue with stakeholders to help ensure these tools are used safely, equitably, and in ways that support student success," he said.

Fisher said she wouldn’t want to eliminate screen use. When Nathan needs help with homework, Fisher can go into the teacher’s notes on the Google Classroom app, and papers aren’t lost in backpacks, she said.

"The accessibility is really something that I think everybody can benefit from, but there’s definitely something about being too connected too," she said. "It’s always looking for that balance."