When a semi-sudden pandemic lockdown began more than four years ago, students had nearly unlimited access to their cellphones. And in some ways, this was a positive. It provided students with a nearly instant way to connect with their classmates, friends, and family during a time characterized by disconnection.
And while we may have taken this privilege lightly, the reality is that humans are innately social creatures that need social connection to thrive — both physically and emotionally.
That being said, in the past few years, schools are taking a different stance when it comes to technology through cracking down on cellphone use at school.
Indeed, a 2024 report by the National Center for Education Statistics found that:
- 76% of public schools prohibit non-academic use of cellphones during the school day.
Meanwhile, at least thirteen states have passed laws or enacted policies that ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones in schools or recommend that local districts enact their own policies, according to an Education Week analysis.
Recent policies
In the last few years, schools have been implementing more rigid policies, such as requiring students to hand over their phones for the whole school day or store them in locking pouches.
These recent developments, of course, beg the question: are school cell phone bans beneficial?
In reality, it’s such a convoluted question to unpack. On one hand, lots of research points to the importance of providing students with agency and freedom. However, on the other hand, there’s also substantial research that points to the fact that cellphones, inherently, are harmful to students’ learning.
Before we dive into the two primary sides of this debate, let’s look at how often students are actually using their phones at school.
The prevalence of student cellphone use at school
It’s undeniable that cell phones have increasingly become cogent distractions.
A survey conducted across college students in 37 states and Alberta, Canada, revealed that the average student spent almost a fifth (19%) of their class time engaged with their smartphones for non-academic purposes.
Research has found that, among university students, 97% own a smartphone, and 95% bring their phone with them to class.
Among eleven- to seventeen-year-olds, a Common Sense Media study found that 97% of participants used their phones during the school day.
Exploring this issue further, the same Common Sense Media study found that the average teenager receives nearly 240 notifications on their cell phone each day, with a quarter of them coming in during school hours.
The case for cellphone bans
One of the most compelling reasons schools and districts are trying to reduce cellphone use during school hours is the load of evidence that excessive usage can impair student’s learning.
The research: how cellphone use may affect learning
A considerable amount of research has found that cellphone use in class is linked to lower academic achievement (specifically, measured in GPA).
Seemingly, one of the reasons for this is that when students use their cellphones in class, they are attempting, or forced, to multitask. And in the last decade, lots of researchers have highlighted that we can’t actually multitask in the way that we think we can. That is, most of the time, when we believe ourselves to simultaneously be doing multiple tasks, we are actually rapidly switching between tasks.
And the result is that we make more mistakes than we would if we were solely doing the one task.
In investigating the relationship between multitasking on phones and academic performance among college students, researchers have found that multitasking on cellphones while performing a school task negatively impacts both students’ ability to complete the task as well as their overall GPA.
Meanwhile, other studies have found that keeping a phone close by during a lecture can hinder concentration as well as memory.
Cellphone use also impacts sleep quality, indirectly impairing academic performance.
Beyond being distracting and encouraging multitasking, cellphones may impact students’ learning — often more than we realize — due to their potential to disrupt sleep quality.
For instance, researchers have linked excessive smartphone use — particularly at night — to unhealthy sleeping habits and insomnia, both of which are associated with longer sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep), daytime exhaustion, and decreased total sleep duration.
For students, regularly not getting enough or good sleep can significantly impact learning outcomes. The simple reason being that sleep is a primary source of fuel to keep us going throughout the day.
Particularly, research has long demonstrated that sleep influences our ability to learn, memorize information, and make logical decisions — all of which are critical for academic success.
Cellphone use is also affecting students’ mental health.
A 2023 survey revealed that 51% of adolescents spend at least four hours a day on social media. This extensive usage has been linked to increased rates of anxiety and depression, as well as exposure to harmful content, to which adolescents are particularly vulnerable.
Furthermore, the negative impact extends to issues like body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, especially among girls. These findings underscore the potential consequences of excessive cellphone usage on students’ mental health, raising concerns about how social media may shape their emotional well-being and self-image.
The case against school cellphone bans
Of course, this wouldn’t be a great debate if there weren’t two opposing parties. In this case, we’re looking at those for school cell phone bans, and those against them.
(However, it’s important to note that many people do find themselves somewhere in the middle, struggling to be black and white about such a complicated issue.)
The safety argument
Some of the main opponents include parents — particularly, those who raise concerns about not being able to reach their children in the case of an emergency.
A recent survey by the National Parents Union revealed that, among the parents interviewed:
- 78% want their children to have access to their cellphones in class in case of an emergency.
- 58% want their children to have access to their phone so parents can get in touch with them and find out where they are.
- 48% believe that access to cellphones is necessary for coordinating transportation.
Certainly, this brings up some good points. With all of the constant updates and iterations in our technologies, it’s clear that there is in fact particular value in having access to cellphones when it comes to a parent perspective.
For instance, with some apps, like Life360, students can send alerts to their family members to inform them of their location and/or situation in the case of an emergency.
With just the click of a button, students can use cellphones to quickly alert authorities or parents in school emergency situations, which can save them valuable time.
On the other hand, in other emergencies, like a lockdown, cell phones can become distractions or even pose risks to students when safety measures are paramount.
For example, students using social media or apps that make sounds during a lockdown drill can create confusion and draw attention to their location, undermining the very safety protocols that are in place.
Bridging the digital divide
While it is recognized that cellphone and smart device usage can be a distraction in the classroom, there is a compelling argument to be made for allowing students access to their cellphones.
Particularly for marginalized or low-income students who do not have access to personal computers (or home internet) — and thus may be at a disadvantage in the classroom.
For instance, in a 2018 survey, almost one in five teenagers said they were often or sometimes unable to complete their homework due to not having reliable access to a computer or internet.
For these students, their smartphones may be their only digital tool, making it essential for them to learn how to use it productively in an academic setting. Prohibiting cellphones in the classroom thus removes the opportunity to provide this crucial digital literacy education to the students who need it most.
That being said, it’s important to note that districts and schools are making an effort to bridge this digital divide. A U.S. Department of Education survey found that in the 2022–23 school year:
- 94% of public schools surveyed reported that they’re providing digital devices to students who need them.
- 56% of public schools surveyed said that they’re providing internet access to the students who need it at a location other than their home.
What do teachers and educational leaders say?
Unsurprisingly, the people that are observing and engaging with students every day also have an opinion.
A 2020 study that collected data from 1140 public schools (grades 6-12) found that:
- Over 90% of principals supported restrictions on cellphone use for students in both middle and high school.
- Over 80% of them said that they found that cellphone use during school negatively affects students’ social development and learning.
Meanwhile, this year, more than 70% of high school teachers report student phone distraction being a “major problem,” according to a 2024 survey by Pew Research.
Evidently, a majority of teachers do support in-school or in-classroom cellphone bans.
However, teachers have also largely reported that enforcing these restrictions or bans is a challenge.
How effective are school cellphone bans?
A recent study that analyzed Norwegian schools found that, among schools that implemented phone bans:
- There were fewer consultations for psychological symptoms per child per year.
- There was reduced bullying (for both boys and girls).
- For girls, there were GPA gains and improved math scores.
Additionally, it’s important to note that researchers have found a link between in-school cellphone bans and improved test scores, particularly among those who don’t normally perform at grade level.
However, research remains limited and somewhat inconclusive.
For instance, while some research suggests that school cell phone use bans promote improvements in student mental health, academic performance, and a reduction in bullying, others find little-to-no changes.
A recent global UNESCO report proposes that when children are free from the distractions of their cellphones, they can learn more effectively while being better shielded from cyberbullying. At the same time, the report emphasizes the importance of teaching students how to use their devices to ensure their success beyond the classroom.
Similarly, a recent paper from the Kaiser Family Foundation notes that not only is the research on the effectiveness of school cellphone bans limited, but that there are various challenges with enforcing these restrictions, accommodating exceptions, and maintaining equity among students.
Final thoughts
One thing’s clear: determining whether a school should implement phone restrictions or bans is no simple task. Evidently, there are compelling arguments on both sides. And seemingly, the decision hinges on the specific circumstances of students (for instance, whether or not they have access to computers), the history of the school — including any past emergencies where having phones might have been beneficial — and the extent to which cellphone usage is a distraction.
Of course, saying that school cellphone policies should be created by the specific schools is a lot easier said than done. When it comes down to it, there are many more parties involved.
But just discussing the issue is a critical component to making the classroom as learning-friendly as possible
As we increasingly develop more technologies, we seem to inevitably become, little by little, more attached to our devices. As such, it’s important for schools and teachers to continually monitor whether and how these devices may be impacting student learning.