Advisory Council for Student Safety and Well-Being Publishes First Report

Governor Josh Stein’s Advisory Council for Student Safety and Well-Being, established by an executive order in April 2025, recommends that North Carolina school systems establish policies that eliminate the use of personal communication devices, including cell phones, from the start to the end of the school day. To support school systems as they develop and implement local policies to make schools cell phone-free, the Advisory Council today published its Best Practices Guide for North Carolina Public Schools Units (PSUs) Establishing Personal Communication Device Policies.

“When students can spend their school day focused on their learning and engaged with friends and teachers, they have the opportunity to learn better and fully engage with others,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I am proud that North Carolina is taking the lead in helping schools improve student academic achievement, well-being, and safety by working to address cell phones in schools.”

“North Carolina’s children deserve to learn in environments that support their growth—not just academically, but emotionally and socially,” said Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch, Advisory Council Co-Chair. “Over the past 15 years, we’ve seen a persistent and troubling decline in student mental health, and we owe it to our children to respond with the clarity and urgency this moment demands. The guide developed by our Advisory Council on Student Safety and Well-Being provides school systems with evidence-based tools to build more focused classrooms and healthier schools. It reflects our commitment to swift, thoughtful action—and I’m excited to see how local leaders will use it to make the right decisions for their students and communities.” 

“On average, teenagers use their smartphones for more than four hours per day, receiving more than 230 notifications per day,” said Deputy Secretary William Lassiter, Advisory Council Co-Chair. “We know that the increased use of personal communication devices during the past 15 years has also coincided with a drastic deterioration of student mental health. This plan outlines a whole-of-community approach that includes students, teachers, school administrators, and parents in creating an environment where youth can put down their phones for eight hours a day to focus on academic success, mental well-being and building interpersonal relationships.” 

“As North Carolina Teacher of the Year, I see every day how powerful learning can be when students are fully engaged,” said 2024 NC Teacher of the Year Heather Smith, Advisory Council Co-Chair. “When we remove distractions like personal communication devices during instructional time, we’re not just enforcing a rule—we’re creating space for deeper focus, stronger relationships, and better outcomes. The advisory council recommends that school systems establish a policy that eliminates the use of personal communication devices from the beginning to the end of the school day. This recommendation is about prioritizing student success, supporting teachers, and making classrooms places where every moment counts.” 

Governor Stein commissioned the best practices guide as the Advisory Council’s first priority to support school systems in creating healthy learning environments that increase academic achievement and student well-being. The guide is intended to support school systems in implementing a personal communication device policy by providing relevant topics of consideration.

The Advisory Council’s guide draws on research on how personal communication devices, including cell phones, are affecting children. Nearly all teenagers have their own smartphone, using them for nearly four and a half hours and receiving 237 notifications per day. As cell phone usage has increased over the last 15 years, student mental health has deteriorated. Between 2009 and 2019, the number of high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness has increased by 40%; those considering attempting suicide increased by 36%; and the amount creating a suicide plan increased by 44%. The Advisory Council also garnered feedback directly from students to inform its recommendations. 

In Executive Order 13, Governor Josh Stein established the Advisory Council with a mission of advancing North Carolina’s commitment to safe, welcoming, and inclusive schools. The Council will propose and implement solutions to promote school safety and improve students’ physical, social, and emotional well-being. It will continue to develop recommendations, provide guidance to state agencies, work with local communities, and share best practices.

The Advisory Council is co-chaired by Sydney Batch, Senate Democratic Leader; William L. Lassiter, Deputy Secretary of the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Public Safety; and Heather Smith, a Haywood County teacher and the 2024 North Carolina Teacher of the Year.