ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — With the state budget deadline days away, the conversation surrounding Governor Kathy Hochul's proposal to restrict smartphone use in K-12 schools throughout the school day has been reignited. The proposal requires schools to give parents a way to contact their kids du ring the school, as well as $13.5 million in funding that would be given to schools that need it to purchase storage solutions to help them go what the state calls distraction-free. One parent told News 8 she switched her niece off of a smartphone to a flip phone and saw a drastic change in her grades and behavior. "I never knew how much of a problem it was until you know, we started making changes with her," Jennifer Cave said. Cave told News 8 her niece, a middle school student in a Monroe County district, got her cell phone when she was 10 years old and said it has caused nothing but problems. "When we say phone, if you're thinking about just calling people or even just texting people, that would be one thing, it's the access to everything else. So, this past year, we actually took the phone away," Cave said. Within the last year, they switched her to a flip phone. "She wouldn't even bring it to school because she was afraid people would make fun of her, but we saw a dramatic change in her behavior," Cave said. Governor Hochul's proposal details students would be allowed to have access to simple cell phones like Cave's niece, as well as laptops provided by the school to use as part of lesson plans. The change was also proposed to protect youth mental health — which Cave said, she has seen a difference in. "She struggles to begin with, but taking away that phone, the grades is just remarkable," Cave said. "The change even in that seventh grade, that kind of girl drama, we were talking to her teachers, and they even noticed a drop in that without having a phone in school." A dividing issue — News 8's Gio Battaglia put a post on Facebook asking for your feedback on the future of cell phones in schools: State Republican Leader and Senator Rob Ortt weighed in as well and told News 8 it's important to have uniform policies across districts to ensure consistency. "I like the idea of getting cell phones out of kids hands, especially during the learning periods," Ortt said. "I think we need to see still, some of the finer points as far as how it's governed and how it's actually enforced and put in place. But again, cell phone ban, I support how it's done." The new requirement would be in place starting in the 2025-26 school year and would apply to all schools in public school districts, as well as charter schools and BOCES. The budget is due Tuesday. ...read more read less