State opens grant applications to support school anti-distraction policies

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion recently announced it is awarding $1 million in grants to support school districts and charter schools in implementing state-required policies limiting student screen time during instructional hours.

In a partnership with the New Mexico Public Education Department, the OBAE said it is accepting grant applications through Aug. 14 from districts and charter schools with anti-distraction policies in place. Such policies became a statewide requirement with the signing of Senate Bill 11 last year, sponsored by Sen. Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte).

SB11 requires all districts and charter schools in the state to develop rules for students’ use of cell phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches and gaming devices during instructional time to help limit distractions and improve student outcomes and performance. The rules include exceptions for emergencies and medical needs. Brantley told Source NM in a written statement that the grants are a “step in the right direction.”

“Teachers and students deserve a classroom that isn’t competing with a device engineered to steal their attention. When we passed SB11, my colleagues and I always intended for the state to help districts cover the cost of implementation — that funding got stripped out of the original bill, and I said then we’d come back for it,” Brantley wrote. “This $1 million from OBAE isn’t the full $10 million we originally fought for, but it’s a meaningful down payment, and I’ll keep pushing next session to finish the job. Our schools and our kids deserve nothing less.”

According to the OBAE, grant funds will go toward network firewalls, lockers to store electronic devices and locking bags that block wi-fi signals, based on each district’s adopted policy. Funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, and if applications exceed the initial $1 million, they will be rolled over to the next fiscal year.

“Part of OBAE’s mission is to ensure every school and student has access to the internet and the digital tools to be successful,” OBAE Director Jeff Lopez said in a statement. “Today, that means balancing access with tools to limit distractions and mitigate social media’s harms to mental health.”