U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison Cosponsors Bipartisan Focus On Learning Act
February 19, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Kelly Morrison (MN-03) joined her colleagues Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Rep. Jason Crow (CO-06), and Rep. Pete Stauber (MN-08) in reintroducing the Focus on Learning Act, a bipartisan bill requiring the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to complete a study that considers the effects of cell phone use on students aged K-12.
A new study released this month found that American students spend over an hour in school each day on their phones, losing out on about 25 percent of their school day to social media and messaging apps. The Focus on Learning Act will examine how this rising amount of screen time impacts students’ mental health and academic performance.
“The reality is that cell phone use is up, test scores are down, and our nation is facing a youth mental health crisis,” said Congresswoman Kelly Morrison. “Cell phone use in schools needs to be examined as we work to address these concerning issues facing our kids. We must be guided by the science and the facts, and the Focus on Learning Act is an important step toward ensuring that our students are receiving world-class education and we are creating learning environments where they can thrive.”
BACKGROUND:
- Since 2012, test scores have steeply declined nationwide, presumably correlated with the increased presence of cell phones in schools.
- Recent studies show that three-quarters of U.S. teens feel more happy/peaceful when they are away from their phones.
- As research is being conducted in scholarly settings, there’s a gap in data on the real-time effects of cell phone usage in classrooms and its impact on the learning and mental health of students.
FOCUS ON LEARNING SUMMARY:
- Requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to complete a study on the effects of cell phone use in K-12 classrooms on students’ mental health and academic performance.
- Authorizes $5 million annually for the next five years to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for a pilot program that provides students with secure containers to store cell phones during school hours.
- The pilot program will allow exceptions for students with health conditions, disabilities, and non-English speakers.
- Participating schools will have a communication system in place to allow teachers, students, and administrators to communicate with local emergency responders in case of an emergency.
- U.S. Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) are cosponsors of the Senate companion Focus on Learning Act.
Read bill text here.
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