The K12 Classroom Phone Conundrum

    It’s both intuitive and proven. Cellphones in the classroom are harming students in more ways than one. Here is a sample of the evidence.

    The Problem
    K12 leaders report: Cell phones have a negative impact on student :
    73%

    Attention span

    72%

    Mental health

    53%

    Academic performance

    K12 teachers say: Student cellphone distraction is a major problem :
    6%

    Elementary

    33%

    Middle

    72%

    High school

    Solutions
    Cell phone policies are proliferating, with massive support from public school principals.
    As of October, 2025:
    66%

    of schools have a "bell-to-bell" cellphone prohibition policy

    86%

    of principals cite positive impacts on school climate and reduced cyberbullying/inappropriate phone use

    60%

    of youth support some restrictions on cellphone use during class, due to the distractions they cause

    10%

    of youth support full bell-to-bell policies

    In 2023, Florida was the first state to ban cellphones during instructional time.
    Result:
    •  Fewer unexcused absences
    •  Higher test scores
    “...Cellphone bans...should lead to improved classroom environments. We can’t measure the classroom environment, but we can at least measure whether or not kids seem to want to be there. What we see is a pretty reasonably substantial reduction in the rate of unexcused absences.”
    – Study lead David Figlio, economics professor at the University of Rochester

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