State Superintendent Levi Bachmeier; Sen. Michelle Axtman, R-Bismarck; Rep. Jim Jonas, R- West Fargo; Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden and North Dakota first lady Kjersti Armstrong have helped spearhead the initiative.
The survey comes as districts are wrapping up the first school year under North Dakota's "bell to bell" student cellphone ban. The ban was passed during the 2025 legislative session after being pushed by the Governor's Office.
Jonas said in a statement released Thursday that feedback from educators, parents and students shows the cellphone ban has kept students' focus on learning while at school.
The survey is available from May 28 to Aug. 1 on the Department of Public Instruction website and will help to inform policy that builds on the cellphone ban in the 2027 legislative session, according to DPI.
“Across our state, students, families, and educators consistently tell me that educational technology should be a tool, not a toy,” Bachmeier said. "There is also universal recognition we need to equip our young people with the digital skills they need to succeed in today’s world. That’s the needle we must thread.”
Questions on the survey include: "Should there be restrictions on the number of allowable hours of device use at school at the elementary level?" and "Should there be a prohibition on students taking devices home unless there's a specific educational purpose?"
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