Bill > H4745

This bill aims to promote safe technology use and distraction-free education for youth by establishing comprehensive guidelines for personal electronic device usage in schools. The bill requires the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a model policy that prohibits personal electronic device use during the school day, with specific provisions for device storage or rendering devices inoperable. Schools must create policies that ensure at least one method for parents to contact students during emergencies while maintaining a learning-focused environment. The legislation includes safeguards to prevent inequitable discipline, allowing exceptions for students with individualized education plans, medical needs, or specific accommodations. Additionally, the bill mandates a pilot program to test technological solutions for preventing device use during school hours, with strict data privacy protections. The bill also requires schools to develop educational programs about the social, emotional, and physical risks of social media use, with guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Attorney General's Office, and the Department of Public Health. Schools must notify parents about these policies and file them with the state department, and the state will establish a grant program to help districts implement these new requirements. By September 1, 2028, the department is required to report on the implementation and effects of these policies.

Budget and Finance

Committee on Education (Joint)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4745