'The Gift Of Undistracted Learning': New Bill Introduces Phone-Free Classroom Program For Oklahoma

A Claremore lawmaker is introducing legislation that incentivizes phone-free classrooms. The bill would create a three-year pilot program to see how different schools across the state would implement distraction-free zones.

“Those of us who were lucky to go to school before social media blew up, we remember some of those moments playing on the playground, and just talking to friends and building relationships and I think students are eager for that,” said Senator Ally Seifried (R-Claremore).

Senator Seifried introduced a bill, directing the State Department of Education to start a pilot program to incentivize phone-free spaces for student learning. Seifried said the goal of the program was to remove distractions for students in order to increase educational outcomes, in addition to limiting the damaging effects of cellphone use on students’ mental health and wellbeing.

“I want to give students the gift of undistracted learning, that for those seven hours a day, they're there to learn and listen and also to make friends and socialize and not have their heads down on their phones,” said Sen. Seifried.

The program would provide grants for up to nine schools to implement phone-free learning. The senator is hoping each district that receives the grant uses it differently, so they can compare and contrast at the end of the pilot program. 

“So some schools might choose a locker, some might choose a pouch, there might be an option that I don't know yet out there, that's for them to decide,” said Sen. Seifried.

Seifried says at first students may be a little apprehensive about it, but she’s hoping they will warm up to a distraction-free learning environment.

“Then it's sort of freeing. They can focus on learning. They can focus on school,” said Sen. Seifried.

Senator Seifried says when traveling around the state and meeting with different school leaders, one of the recurring top concerns were academic outcomes and behavioral issues. She is hoping the lack of phone usage in the classroom will help with both of those aspects.

She’s hoping the pilot will demonstrate how outcomes can change when students aren’t thinking about who is messaging them, liking their social media posts or any other related distraction.

One junior high in Seifried’s hometown of Claremore tried this out this year, and saw about a seven percent increase in academic outcomes. 

“Then those increases doubled for low achieving students. So the data's there,” said Sen. Seifried.

One of the senator’s top concerns when writing the bill language was the safety of teachers and students.

“The bill actually includes language in there to say that schools who enter into this pilot program must have an emergency response in place,” said Sen. Seifried.

After a big year for education at the capitol, Sen. Seifried is hoping her colleagues will be on board with this year’s push to improve Oklahoma education.

“We want our academic outcomes to improve and this hopefully will be one way to do it,” said Sen. Seifried.

The bill will be presented when the session begins next month.