School Cellphone Ban Study Finds Mixed Results
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Over the past three years, two-thirds of U.S. states have implemented laws banning or restricting cellphone use in schools to address issues like distraction, bullying, declining test scores, and absenteeism.
- A new large-scale study by researchers from Stanford, Duke, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Michigan found that strict cellphone bans, involving locked pouches for devices, significantly reduced student cellphone use.
- Despite reduced cellphone use, the bans have not led to overall improvements in test scores and initially caused an increase in suspension rates.
- Teachers reported fewer distractions due to the bans, and over time, students in schools with strict cellphone restrictions experienced a greater sense of personal well-being.
- The study used data from Yondr, a company that provides lockable cellphone pouches to enforce the bans during the school day.
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