More students head back to class without one crucial thing: their phones

"The findings in west Texas align with results from many of the states and districts that are heading back to school without phones: Students learn better in a phone-free environment. Getting cell phones out of the classroom is a rare issue with significant bipartisan support, allowing a rapid adoption of policies across red and blue states alike. Some 31 states and the District of Columbia now restrict students' use of cell phones in schools, according to Education Week."

"The rapid adoption of these policies, Whaley says, can sometimes make for uneven enforcement. While most teachers at the school she studied supported the ban, there was one teacher who refused, which caused problems for other teachers. Alex Stegner, a social studies and geography teacher in Portland, Ore., said his school saw similar results when it adopted a ban during the 2024-25 school year. Their old policy had each teacher at Lincoln High School collect phones at the start of class in a lock box."

States and districts increasingly ban student cell phones during school hours, with 31 states and the District of Columbia now enforcing restrictions. Texas will bar phones for every public and charter school student this fall. Research in a west Texas high school found higher student participation and sharply reduced anxiety when phones were banned, driven largely by the removal of fear of being filmed and embarrassed. Bipartisan support has accelerated policy adoption across red and blue states. Implementation challenges include uneven enforcement and isolated teacher resistance, which can undermine schoolwide consistency.

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