A new study from Florida provides important evidence on the impact of cellphone bans in schools. Second, it emphasizes the lack of evidence showing these bans improve student academic performance. The research, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, indicates that schools may experience improved test scores when implementing such bans. The school district at the center of this study experienced a remarkable increase in student achievement as measured by test scores. Following the ban, scores rose by approximately 2-3 percentiles in the second year after the ban.
New York City just took the same step, broadening its cellphone ban to include smartwatches and tablets. This initiative is consistent with a rapidly developing national trend. Twenty states and territories have acted to ban phones and tablets during school hours. Every state has not implemented uniformity in restrictions. Seventeen states—not just red ones, but including Maryland and Wyoming—still haven’t adopted any statewide bans. Sixteen states leave it up to local districts to decide their own policies on cellphone usage.
The Florida study indicates that the ban indeed made it less likely that middle and high school students would use e-cigarettes. It was not as successful for students in elementary school. Initially, schools faced challenges after instituting the ban, as there was “a significant jump in student disciplinary incidents and suspensions.” The suspension rate more than doubled in the month following the nationwide ban. It was 25 percent higher than in the same month of the prior school year.
Though their early efforts were initially successful, suspension rates returned to pre-ban levels by the second year. Over the same period, New Orleans saw a remarkable rise in test scores. The longer students and staff adapted to their new cellphone-free environment, the better academic performance was, rising as much as 27 percent in some cases.
There are exceptions to the cellphone bans — students with disabilities who have individualized education programs. Puerto Rico has required schools to adopt a cellphone policy by 2026. What this decision underscores is their deep desire to get this issue right.
Schools across the country are looking at how they allow cellphones in class. We hope the Florida study provides them with invaluable perspective on what to expect from these changes. These results highlight the significant academic advantages that can be gained from a cellphone ban, as well as the hurdles that must be overcome at first.
“Suspension rates persisted throughout the rest of the school year after the ban.” – National Bureau of Economic Research study
