Will the Cell Phone Ban Equal Better Focus?

Technology is everywhere, and it's here to stay. Students, especially, never get a break from it. The younger generations are constantly on their phones, at school, work, and home. Nobody is going to willingly give up their phone or choose to make a healthier choice than scrolling on social media for hours. So, how do we handle this conflict when technology is constantly needed?

Many schools across the U.S are banning the use of phones during school hours. Vermont has now joined in by banning phones in schools beginning this fall. This is the first law that's been passed in Vermont that states that schools can no longer use social media to communicate with students, according to VTDigger. This is a part of the same legislation to help ensure that there is no need for students to have their phones during school hours. 

Here in the Greater Rutland County Supervisory Union we have decided to take a break from all technology every Friday in May. This is to help prepare students, teachers, and administrators for the upcoming school year which will fully implement the new policy on phones. Fridays in May are a way to get everyone used to the system and schedule of locking up phones and to become less reliant on technology. This trial run also helps settle any issues before it goes fully into effect. 

The policies vary from state to state, but in Vermont, the statement of policy and the law that was passed in July of 2025 that goes into effect in the next school year, according to Vermont's Agency of Education, says: “It is the policy of [name of school district or independent school] to maintain a cell phone-free school environment to promote focus, improved mental health, and increased social cohesion among our students.” 

The goal of this policy is to enable both students and teachers to work free from distractions that impact learning by prohibiting student use of and access to cell phones and other prohibited devices during the academic day from arrival to dismissal. This policy was also passed with the hopes of limiting cyberbullying, which should improve teens' mental health. 

Other states have adopted these policies much earlier than Vermont, but the laws haven’t been in effect long enough to see whether they are actually beneficial. Based on a study conducted in Florida in October 2025, a slight increase in student suspensions was the first change after the introduction of the phone policy; this was a short-term conflict, according to The National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Multiple states report that the first year was difficult for student behavior, as everyone was getting acclimated to the new rule. Test scores did improve during year two of the phone policy. They also found that students' unexcused absences went down, which could explain improved test scores. “Overall, teachers, principals, and district leaders report largely positive results from their cellphone restrictions, especially when it comes to improving classroom behavior and student engagement,” according to Edweek. 

The studies find that although the first year is tough, behaviorally, the true benefits come after the first year, with improvements in students' well-being and academic performance. 

According to The National Bureau of Economic Research, “Disciplinary actions began to dissipate after the first year, potentially suggesting a new steady state after an initial adjustment period. Second, we find significant improvements in student test scores in the second year of the ban after that initial adjustment period. Third, the findings suggest that cellphone bans in schools significantly reduce student unexcused absences, an effect that may explain a large fraction of the test score gains.” 

Twenty-six states have full-day bans on phones within schools, and nine more states have some sort of restrictions on phone usage. Over 20 states passed these policies in 2025 alone. With how recent this trend is, it's hard to truly see the effects of this on students, teachers, and administrators. Some large school districts are beginning to implement rules even if the state hasn’t. It wouldn’t be surprising if all states began to have some sort of restrictions on phones during school hours. Many other countries have implemented policies as well. 

The biggest concern regarding phones is student performance and mental health. Test scores have been increasingly declining in many schools over the last decade. Although the challenges in schools began long before COVID hit, it definitely did not help our dependence on technology or our test scores. “Although the improvements are not as pronounced, educators are also more likely to say cell phone restrictions have had a positive effect on students’ learning, social-emotional development, and well-being than not,” according to Edweek. 

Having students lock their phones in specific pouches or lockboxes reduces the temptation to reach for them. This upcoming school year is likely to be rocky for Vermont as students get acclimated to the policy. But the hope is that in the long run, the benefits of the new policy will be clear and students will adapt to it.