The Santa Barbara Unified School District was one of two districts in the state of California to get an invitation to the governor’s mansion to meet with Gavin Newsom.

The reason? The district’s “Off and Away” policy on cell phones in the classroom.

Superintendent Hilda Maldonado and school board member Gabe Escobedo attended the event, where they met with Newsom, health experts, state labor leaders, lawmakers, and the nonprofit organization Common Sense Media.

The meeting happened Nov. 19. Newsom invited Santa Barbara Unified, saying its cell phone policy has had “positive impacts.”

The summit was a public relations coup for the district, and a nod to Maldonado’s leadership, coming off a year of tumult with the Santa Barbara Teachers Association over salaries and benefits.

“Schools and districts, including Santa Barbara Unified and Bullard High in Fresno, have seen positive impacts of limiting smartphones on campus, with some reporting higher test scores, grades and student engagement, and less bullying and damage to school facilities,” Newsom said in a statement.

Although the program is being introduced in stages, students already have reported that teachers have confiscated the devices during the first week of school.

Santa Barbara Unified banned smart watches, cell phones and headphones in class in 2022. Students must place the electronic devices in their backpacks so that they cannot access them during class time.

Some teachers also have cell phone “hotels” where students can store their phones during class.

In 2019, Newsom signed AB 272 , which allows schools to regulate smart phone use during school hours.

Excessive smartphone use among youth is linked to increased anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, according to the governor.

A Pew Research Center survey found that 72% of high school and 33% of middle school teachers report cell phone distractions as a major problem.

Common Sense Media found that 97% of students use their phones during the school day for a median of 43 minutes.

“It is urgent to provide reasonable guardrails for smartphone use in schools,” according to a statement from the Governor’s Office.

“The summit highlighted Santa Barbara Unified’s leadership in managing technology to prioritize student wellness and belonging while addressing both its benefits and challenges,” said Superintendent Maldonado.

“It was a privilege to be at the forefront of this initiative before a mandate was given and to share our learnings to help balance the academic and wellness needs of students.”

According to spokesman Ed Zuchelli, Santa Barbara Unified and its teachers have made great progress academically in recent years.

College and career readiness increased for the second year in a row to 60.7% in the Class of 2024, which is higher than 54.4% reported in the Class of 2019. The state reports an average of 45.3% of students statewide being college and career ready.

English language arts improved for the second year in a row to 5.5 points below the standard. The state average is 13.2 points below the standard.

Mathematics, according to Zuchelli, improved for the second year in a row to 36 points below the standard. This is higher than the state average of 47.8 points below the standard.

Emergent multilingual progress increased 1.7% to 46.9% — better than the state, which saw a decrease to 45.7%, according to Zuchelli.

Finally, chronic absenteeism, for the second year in a row, declined to 16.9% for 2023-24, which is an 8% decrease from 2021-22.

Maldonado called the cell phone program a success.

“I was proud to represent our district’s efforts — made possible by the collaboration of teachers, parents, staff and the community — and to share our journey as a model for districts statewide as we navigate the impact of technology on 21st-century learners,” Maldonado said.

The meeting started with light refreshments and introductions and was broken into two parts.

The first part featured discussions on the impact of smartphones on student academics, classroom environments, and youth mental health, led by Dr. Sohil Sud, Director of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative. 

For the second part, there was a discussion about the development of cellphone policies, with insights on successful implementation and community engagement facilitated by Brooks Allen, the Executive Director of the State Board of Education. The meeting concluded with a summary of key takeaways and actionable next steps to support schools in addressing critical issues.

Escobedo said it was a surreal experience.

“Visiting the Governor’s mansion in a capacity like this is something I never thought was possible for folks who grew up like I did,” Escobedo said. “I hope our students see pictures of our trip and realize that no space is off-limits for them.”

Escobedo said it was also an honor to present with Maldonado about the District’s “Off and Away” policy.

He said he is proud of the leadership from the District, site leaders, and union partners.

“Statewide, we are only at the beginning of this conversation about how cell phone policies can improve learning and mental health outcomes, and we will learn much more over the next few years with continued program implementation,” Escobedo said.