[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6548097,"mediaKeyId","3805080-99de2510cd70bfaa2fc450d7a38f4d6d","parentId",3805080,"title","Witnesses urge investment in educator training, research and guidance to distinguish helpful from harmful screen use","audioSeconds",1870,"startMs",1908000,"endMs",3778000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3805080-99de2510cd70bfaa2fc450d7a38f4d6d&start=1908&end=3778","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3805080-99de2510cd70bfaa2fc450d7a38f4d6d/thumbnail_1908000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6548097/Witnesses-urge-investment-in-educator-training-research-and-guidance-to-distinguish-helpful-from-harmful-screen-use","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6548097-0c4da5a51394c2ff6b5a3217e15bbb50/orig.mp4?Expires=1773711248&Signature=BHZVmT-JzoGxX2ACSXxXzh3354nQlYelrX3BxSXQ7CRMhdwv4trJ0JgETHhKn-JhLQ97liegOu7RIHoDr3k80h0pp1sh096eFr45Nb1eD5e-SOawCGDtazZzwyXZULa6kn4q9llCdgQeQ8EP5hcscajHT1THsrTEPEOui8Ju~47NRjrrVxbJtv0CVd6OrJXKAVDFXqvPLJtwouRHkh-XaFpnr35nAof7u07CUsD9Oo2BL6cAv9EDVeeNrYYcA8zWubuciMvBDLam1GEzPeh8gH61GMGI83BSNjGD8sjo2~byTBPsiwUj33L7a~vL40Aehk0~UfODm3hB44dQddIdnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Education & the Workforce","date","2025-06-11T04:13:48Z","article","Speakers at the subcommittee hearing emphasized gaps in educator preparation and research that make it difficult for schools to manage screen time equitably. Cheryl Holcomb McCoy, president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, said most educator- and counselor-preparation programs \"still do not include training in screen time, science, digital wellness, or media literacy.\" She urged targeted investments in federal teacher-quality and educator-preparation grants to build faculty capacity and to evaluate programs that promote healthy digital practice.

Holcomb McCoy and other witnesses recommended four federal priorities: invest in educator preparation programs and grants that incorporate digital-wellness outcomes; restore school-based mental-health funding; fund longitudinal research through the Institute of Education Sciences to differentiate effects of cell phones versus other devices; and reinvest in the Office of Educational Technology to issue age-appropriate, research-informed guidance. \"We need longitudinal studies on the effects of screen time from cell phones versus other devices,\" Holcomb McCoy said.

Members raised concerns about equity and students with disabilities. Representative Ansari and others noted that assistive technology sometimes resides on a student's personal device, and that IDEA and Section 504 protections require schools to ensure access. Holcomb McCoy said policies must avoid removing necessary assistive technology while limiting noninstructional phone use: \"We need research that will help inform policy... so that we are not banning all screen time for students because it could be helpful to some and harmful to others.\"

Witnesses and members also highlighted rural and under-resourced districts' unequal access to counselors and to professional development for teachers. Holcomb McCoy cited American School Counselor Association ratios and said many rural counselors manage caseloads far above recommended levels, leaving students with unmet needs.

Committee members and witnesses recommended federal support—through research funding, grant programs and guidance—to help districts distinguish instructional and assistive uses of screens from noninstructional, harmful uses and to build teacher competence in managing technology in classrooms.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Screentime in Schools","oneSentenceSummary","Educator-preparation leaders and researchers told the subcommittee that most teacher-training programs lack instruction on digital wellness and media literacy, and that federal guidance and research are needed to identify effective classroom uses and protect students who rely on assistive technology.","taxTitle","Education and Labor: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1979,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6548101,"Witnesses warn cuts to IES, Office of Ed Tech and Safer Communities funding hamper research and school mental-health services",3331,1123000,4454000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3805080-99de2510cd70bfaa2fc450d7a38f4d6d&start=1123&end=4454","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3805080-99de2510cd70bfaa2fc450d7a38f4d6d/thumbnail_1123000.jpg","/articles/6548101/Witnesses-warn-cuts-to-IES-Office-of-Ed-Tech-and-Safer-Communities-funding-hamper-research-and-school-mental-health-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6548101-b84f75665991a8ffac019d65ac56c61d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773711248&Signature=C4o44PCUoRAXhHUbokbRZvBUa1bDUVH8Sy~Fc3U0W3dC0VvyDSnpbH72qG77E6oGEAAMYXnknL-cd4TYa9wDKduwgWEzgoWzynrJZmauPguvmC-6rXQeeCxPcw1veMtLXcfZ0IZvgwAKcIaDeqiWaG~SA-PbkLXmdf0EtTLeyeRpJUOJEMo9~g1vnwlymkukROYCmzUWM8ao-f80VwZdySKeKT2T8~hF4Fp~9vqebw~61kf3rJ~VUYz3VIhZhG2owiVgvg-JqQG1Qa875KFZuQDUceCeTR7CXdeFC64f4-A2RmN5wQUWi5Al-AvN-OSJjMOok7nBDV0vgm3hCdtzDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Witnesses at the House subcommittee hearing raised concerns that recent federal funding and staffing decisions are undermining schools' ability to respond to student mental-health needs and to design evidence-based technology policies.

Ranking Member Bonamici told the panel that the administration had \"canceled more than $1,000,000,000 in funding for student mental health services\" previously provided through the bipartisan Safer Communities Act. She and witnesses said those grants supported school psychologists, counselors and suicide-prevention resources and had been used by districts to fund staff and services for thousands of students.

Cheryl Holcomb McCoy, president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, said the Department of Education's research and technical-assistance capacity has been reduced. \"The department recently, reportedly dismissed all of the employees in the Office of Education Technology,\" she said, and she urged reinvestment in both the Office of Educational Technology (OET) and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to support longitudinal research on screen time and to produce guidance for states and districts.

Holcomb McCoy and other witnesses said IES funded rigorous, multi-district research including randomized trials and long-term studies that informed practice. \"The research that comes out of IES was so important to the work of educators because it informed... rigorous evaluation of the policies and the practices,\" she told the committee, and said canceled IES grants have stopped ongoing investigations into promising interventions.

Members from both parties said districts rely on federal research and grant programs to develop effective approaches. Panelists argued that without reinstated funding and staff, small and rural districts in particular lack the resources to design tailored, evidence-based rules or to hire needed mental-health staff. Representative Bonamici and others urged restoring school-based mental-health grants and research funding to allow districts to adopt policies grounded in data rather than trial-and-error.

No formal federal action was taken by the subcommittee at the hearing; members used the hearing record to probe effects of federal decisions and to solicit witnesses' recommendations on research priorities and grant programs.","Panelists told the House subcommittee that recent federal cuts — including the cancellation of roughly $1 billion in student mental health grants and reported staff reductions at the Office of Educational Technology and IES — have left districts without research support and behavioral health capacity.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6548107,"Witnesses: Limiting personal devices during instructional time improves focus, discipline and classroom climate",6302,660000,6962000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3805080-99de2510cd70bfaa2fc450d7a38f4d6d&start=660&end=6962","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3805080-99de2510cd70bfaa2fc450d7a38f4d6d/thumbnail_660000.jpg","/articles/6548107/Witnesses-Limiting-personal-devices-during-instructional-time-improves-focus-discipline-and-classroom-climate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6548107-363f156b8be02e665b1ea0079781f3fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1773711248&Signature=At2Kqfg9V0-vID78MQ7E7xdWbvhJ03nIKYb-dJLAq6qCZW1N98~QrnzA4xXbCAN50ZEh5vNwXlRWnkP0yU5M7WcnCqHFRwzoO4IAqDFpYRpnjSm27Qr9RT0hsaY1S1poxBaC0upztyCFwrwsqUQwO1lt1WFs-q239nY3fOwl-wWhbyrO0Lp3x4LOKXRYiBuKZaq9wKprpYiit3AOKMUpSrGIP0rOg0Kh2VpZPsJju9Hy1tBdkjkOp-gPNZM-S6Xs9F7zE~s~uil1nOlul~bnDafJLZ18zhCohfqGBsW4V80iEjNvjsvDep3lSomdQMVmcOf6Wax-zcLkwwwE0VgnuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The subcommittee on early childhood, elementary, and secondary education heard testimony that schools can reduce distractions and improve learning by restricting student access to personal smartphones during instructional time. Chairman Kiley opened the hearing noting that \"screens are now pervasive, mostly in the form of student cell phones\" and said the panel would examine state and district approaches.

Members of the panel and witnesses described multiple approaches and reported early results. Rich Nye, senior adviser for education policy to Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox, told the committee that Utah urged schools to remove cell phones from classrooms and that a follow-up bill passed with bipartisan support. \"Students will not have unfettered access to smartphones while they are under the care of an educator,\" Nye said, summarizing Utah's statewide expectation for a bell-to-bell restriction and noting exemptions for individualized education programs, Section 504 plans, or medical necessity.

Matthew Givens, assistant superintendent for Richardson Independent School District in Texas, described a local pilot that used a secure magnetic pouch (the \"Yonder Pouch\") to store phones, smartwatches and earbuds during the school day. Givens said the district's pilot returned instructional minutes to teachers and reduced disciplinary incidents: \"It's not just about phones, it's about restoring focus, improving relationships, and reclaiming the joy of teaching.\" He said teachers at pilot campuses reported regaining more than 10 minutes of instruction per class period and that one high school with about 3,000 students expanded the approach after the pilot.

Researchers who testified pointed to studies linking phone access to declines in attention and academic performance. Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, said experiments and international comparisons show the mere presence of a smartphone can reduce attention and cognitive performance; she cited experiments in which students without phone access scored higher on tests and a Norwegian study showing improved outcomes after bans.

Panel members and witnesses emphasized that policy design and implementation matter. Nye and Givens described permissive or locally tailored language that allows districts and school communities to set specific rules while keeping the statewide expectation. Several witnesses and members noted emergency-access considerations and described exemptions for safety or medical reasons. Representative Bonamici and others highlighted parental concerns about emergency contact but also cited guidance from school-safety experts that personal phone access can complicate responses to active threats and impede first responders.

The session included parent survey figures and usage statistics cited by witnesses: panelists referenced research saying adolescents spend an average of 8.5 hours daily on screen-based media and that students receive hundreds of notifications per day. A parent survey cited in testimony reported roughly 40 percent favoring device use only for academic work, about 34 percent supporting structured device periods, and fewer than 3 percent favoring full access through the school day.

Witnesses and members repeatedly framed the device question as balancing educational uses of technology with the harms of noninstructional use. Panelists recommended time-limited, instructional uses for school-issued devices, local engagement with parents and teachers during policy development, and clear administrative supports so teachers do not bear enforcement alone. Representative Wahlberg in closing said the evidence supports an expectation of no personal-device use during instructional time while allowing districts flexibility in implementation.

The hearing did not include formal votes or policy mandates from the panel; members presented testimony and asked questions to inform oversight and potential legislative or guidance actions.","Witnesses before the House Education subcommittee urged states and districts to restrict student access to personal smartphones during instructional time, citing pilot data and international studies that link bans to improved academic and mental health outcomes.","actionData","errors"]

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Witnesses urge investment in educator training, research and guidance to distinguish helpful from harmful screen use

Witnesses warn cuts to IES, Office of Ed Tech and Safer Communities funding hamper research and school mental-health services

Witnesses: Limiting personal devices during instructional time improves focus, discipline and classroom climate