In public schools across the country, states are implementing “bell-to-bell” cell phone bans—policies that restrict smartphone use among students throughout the entire school day. As of this fall, 30 states and territories prohibit phones, tablets, and smart watches during school hours.
Proponents argue that the bans are essential to promoting academic achievement and overall well-being among students. Cell phone ownership has more than doubled among school-aged youth in the past decade. At the same time, rates of anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and cyberbullying have skyrocketed. And 72 percent of high school teachers say phone distractions are a major problem in their classrooms, according to Pew Research Center polling from June 2024.
But do these bans actually help? And what are the broader implications?
A study published last month by the National Bureau of Economic Research offers some insights from one Florida school district that banned cell phones in 2023.
When the district first implemented the ban, disciplinary incidents spiked significantly due to violations of the new cell phone rules. The suspension rate more than doubled in the month after the ban began, and it was 25 percent higher compared to the same month in the previous school year.
But by the second year, suspension rates returned to pre-ban levels. In addition, test scores increased—by nearly 3 percentage points for some grade levels—in the second year compared to the year before the ban. Researchers also documented a decline in unexcused absences, which may have contributed to better academic performance.
The effects were most pronounced among middle and high school students, who were previously more likely to use devices during the school day.
The study’s authors caution that their research examined only one district, meaning results may not apply everywhere, and the findings show correlation rather than direct cause and effect. Still, they suggest these insights could help school districts better plan for enforcement and minimize disruptions when implementing restrictions.
Kimberly Kopko, a senior extension associate at Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology and an expert in child development, has emerged as a leading voice on these policies. Through surveys and commentary, Kopko has helped translate research into practical guidance for policymakers and parents.
“Although more data is needed to continue to evaluate the effects of bell-to-bell cell phone bans in schools, the Florida study is notable as it demonstrates a significant increase in student test scores, a positive trend of academic performance,” she said.
Kopko has documented broader developmental consequences of constant smartphone access. She notes that employers increasingly report younger hires lack basic communication skills—evidence of significant downstream effects from years of screen-saturated childhood. And she says that social media can expose youth to harmful content and disrupt sleep and social interactions.
Kopko references a 2024 survey that found parents harbor two main concerns about bell-to-bell bans: the ability to contact their child during emergencies, and to get in touch with their child or find out where they are. Yet she emphasizes a crucial point: There was a time, not long ago, when no one had cell phones in schools at all. Plus, schools can work with parents to develop communication strategies.
The take-home message: Cell phone bans are rapidly becoming the norm in American schools. Although implementation can be challenging, new evidence suggests that bell-to-bell cell phone bans can improve academic outcomes.
