Washington may become the next state to ban cell phones for the entire school day.
Earlier this month, Gov. Bob Ferguson proposed an “Away for the Day” bell-to-bell policy that would ban smart devices, including smartphones and smartwatches, in Washington’s public schools. Digital distractions are significantly hindering instruction, according to Ferguson.
“No single policy can solve every challenge in education, but this one will make a big difference in our students’ social and academic engagement,” Ferguson said. “I won’t let Washington be the last state in the nation to step up for our kids.”
Roughly three-quarters of school districts in the state currently restrict cell phone use in the classroom, according to the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction.
How to develop effective policy, according to research
Nationally, 22 states and Washington, D.C., have adopted bell-to-bell cellphone bans. In a recent Q&A, Harvard Kennedy School Professor of Public Policy Paul Peterson argued these policies are no longer controversial.
“There is widespread consensus that this is something that should be done, given the decline in student performance in our educational system over the last 15 years or so,” Peterson said.
However, one study published in April found that while schools that locked up students’ smartphones during the day cut in-class phone use by roughly 80%, they saw near-zero average gains in standardized test scores.
The National Bureau of Economic Research examined nearly 1,800 schools using Yondr lockable pouches. Although phone activity among students dropped dramatically, its effect on student achievement remained indistinguishable across math and English language arts.
Suspension rates also rose by roughly 16% in the first year after pouch adoption, before fading in subsequent years, a pattern the researchers attribute to the enforcement burden of introducing any new restriction.
A contradicting study examining a large urban school district in Florida found significant improvements in student test scores in the second year of the district’s cell phone ban, particularly among middle and high schoolers.
A key takeaway for superintendents is that strategy matters. A recent white paper from Learning.com suggests that restrictions aren’t enough to solve academic and behavioral problems caused by cell phones. Policy must be paired with intentional instruction that helps students develop digital literacy skills.
“The deeper work lies in helping students understand boundaries and equipping them with the tools necessary to make healthy choices in an always-on world,” said Anya Kamenetz, education journalist and author of the report.
Here are a few recommendations from the research for superintendents:
Pair restrictions with instruction
The research emphasizes that districts with successful phone policies also teach digital literacy and citizenship skills. This opens the door for districts to partner with local organizations and edtech vendors.
There are several characteristics to look for when considering a potential curriculum partner:
- They must be aligned with your standards
- They must offer a “full-stack” solution that evolves at the pace of digital innovation
- Partners must offer solutions that are modular, flexible, easy to deploy and student- and teacher-friendly
Communication is key
The white paper also stresses comprehensive and extensive communication with parents. Communities must understand the purpose of phone regulation, and leaders must frame policy as part of a broader effort to support student well-being and learning.
Superintendents can get insight from a database that grades state-by-state cell phone policies.
Take Kansas, one of only four states to have received an A grade on the Phone-Free Schools Report Card. Phones are inaccessible to students under the state’s bell-to-bell ban without weakening schools’ safety and education standards.
View your state’s grade here.
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