Day 15: Senate Committee Explores Cell Phones in Schools; Another Committee Hears Educator Workforce Presentations
- Legislative Team
- Feb 11
- 5 min read
Presentations were the order of the day today. The Senate Children & Families Committee heard presentations from Marietta City Schools and others on the impact of cell phones in schools. The Senate Education & Youth Committee discussed return-to-work legislation, Georgia's largest alternative teacher preparation program, Reading Corps and Math Corps, and information presented by new Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) Executive Secretary Jody Barrow. Neither committee voted on bills.
|
|---|
Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee Hears
AFY 2025 Budget
The Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee heard presentations from Rusk Roam, chief financial officer for the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), and other state education agency leaders about changes Gov. Brian Kemp and the House proposed in the Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2025 budget. Roam highlighted the $114 million increase for student enrollment growth and the $50 million boost to school safety grants proposed by Kemp. He also noted the addition of $2.4 million outlined by the House to cover the growing number of students participating in the PSAT and AP exams. Committee members will continue gathering budget information and reconvene later to propose revisions to the AFY 2025 budget.
Committee Discusses the Impact of Cell Phones in Schools
Members of the Senate Children and Families Committee, chaired by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta), convened for a presentation on the impact of cell phones in schools. Miranda Williams from ExcelinEd introduced a representative from their national office to discuss the organization's recommendations on student cell phone usage in schools.
Marietta City Schools Superintendent Grant Rivera outlined the district's efforts to limit cell phones in middle schools. Rivera reported that teachers feel exhausted due to classroom cell phone distractions. In response, the district purchased Yonder phone pouches for each student, allowing them to secure their phones during the school day. Students keep these pouches with them, and medical exemptions exist for those requiring phone access. Each teacher has a magnet to unlock the pouches, and the front office can also help students contact their parents or guardians when necessary.
Marietta City has partnered with Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to gather data on the impact of Yonder pouches on classroom behavior. In surveys, 8th-grade students reported a 22 percent improvement in classroom behavior compared to their 7th-grade year before the implementation of the cell phone restrictions. Additionally, 68 percent of middle school teachers reported feeling slightly to significantly less stress regarding classroom management. Rivera noted that anecdotal evidence also suggests that middle schools have experienced fewer fights, reduced bathroom visits and hall pass requests, increased engagement in after-school activities and athletics, and less pressure on parents to purchase new phones for their children.
Kirkpatrick inquired why the district had not expanded this policy to the high school level. Rivera explained that parents of high school students have been less receptive to the new policy, making the discussion one of the most challenging of his career.
Kevin McPherson concluded the presentations by sharing details about a free app he developed, Detezo, which uses QR codes to help enforce school cell phone restrictions.
Senate Ed Learns about Return-to-Work, Georgia TAPP, Tutors to Teachers, and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission
Senate Education and Youth Committee Chair Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro) opened the meeting, describing it as the final of three meetings to explore teacher retention in Georgia.
Buster Evans, executive director of the Teachers Retirement System (TRS), provided an overview of TRS similar to his presentation earlier this session. In addition, he updated committee members on the status of HB 385, passed in 2022. The bill allows teachers in certain high-needs subject areas to return to work full-time after a one-year waiting period while collecting TRS benefits.
Evans said that allowing Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) to select the three high-needs areas has worked for TRS. However, he reported hearing from RESAs that not all RESAs have the same needs, and each RESA may have shifting needs over time. The top three high-needs areas statewide are special education, math, and science. Evans referenced the one-year waiting period required by the current return-to-work law, reporting that some feel this may be too long. He reported that shorter waiting periods before returning to work full-time are more likely to incentivize early retirement.
Evans shared that 432 teachers have returned full-time through the program and mentioned that lowering the required years of service in the legislation to 25 years could allow more teachers to return, as the average years of service for a Georgia educator is 25.5 years. The program is scheduled to sunset in 2026 unless the General Assembly reauthorizes it. PAGE supports reauthorization of the return-to-work program.
Hickman said he plans to introduce legislation that will shorten the length of time an educator must wait to return full-time and will expand the eligible subject areas.
First District RESA Executive Director Richard Smith provided an overview of the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (TAPP), a nontraditional teacher preparation program for candidates who have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher but have not met the requirements for teacher certification. Smith said these candidates are often career switchers with high expertise in their subject area. He emphasized that TAPP candidates can offer unique real-world life experiences to students. Read more about Georgia TAPP here.
Shawonna Coleman provided an overview of the Reading Corps and Math Corps programs that use AmeriCorps members to tutor students in reading and math.
Dr. Jody Barrow provided an overview of the GaPSC. He identified teacher recruitment and retention as a big education challenge and shared several slides similar to data presented at the November GaPSC meeting. Barrow mentioned PAGE survey data on teacher recruitment and retention, specifically about teachers leaving the profession within their first five years. Highlights include:
PAGE Day on Capitol Hill Feb. 18
Join us Tuesday, Feb. 18, for PAGE Day on Capitol Hill. In partnership with the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) and the Georgia Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (GACTE), the event will provide PAGE members an opportunity to learn about important education policy initiatives and meet state policymakers.
Attendees will receive complimentary breakfast and lunch. During the morning session, attendees will hear from legislators and other policymakers on pertinent education policy issues, including education funding, Georgia's teacher pipeline, the Teacher Retirement System, and more.
Mid-morning, attendees will engage in advocacy and direct dialogue with legislators under the Gold Dome. The event culminates in a lunch buffet during which state leaders will share remarks.
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday, Feb. 12 - Legislative Day 16
2 p.m. House Appropriations, 341 CAP
Thursday, Feb. 13 - Legislative Day 17
1 p.m. Senate Education & Youth, 450 CAP