DRYDEN, NY (607NewsNow) — The Dryden Central School District is reviewing data after a state-mandated ban on smartphones in classrooms began.
Superintendent Josh Bacigalupi pointed to some numbers Friday, Dec. 12 on Ithaca’s Morning News.
“We noticed in our high school 30% less course failure for the first quarter,” Bacigalupi told 607 News Now. “We had a 93% attendance at this rate last year, and this year we almost have a 96% attendance rate at this point.”
Bacigalupi also shared some anecdotal evidence.
“Our administrators are spending less and less time investigating incidents that occur digitally,” Bacigalupi added. “We are noticing some differences, and they’re positive.”
Earlier this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the ‘Bell to Bell’ ban into law as part of the 2026 budget. It keeps Internet-capable devices like smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets from students during the school day.
