Overview
- New Stanford-led research using data from 4,600 schools finds little to no change in test scores up to three years after phone bans, with no clear shifts in bullying, attendance, or self-reported attention.
- Bans sharply curb device use in class, with phone activity dropping from 61% of students to 13% and teacher satisfaction with phone rules rising from 26% to 75%.
- The first year often brings disruption, including a 16% rise in suspensions and lower student well-being, as schools and students adjust to stricter rules.
- By years two and three, discipline trends move back toward baseline and student well-being improves, while academic effects remain mixed with small gains in high schools and small losses in middle schools.
- Adoption keeps spreading, with at least 37 states and D.C. limiting phones and districts spending heavily on lockable pouches, including $29 million in New York City and $5.2 million in Los Angeles, as researchers urge stronger policy design and attention to other in-class tech like laptops.