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Analyst: School phone bans fail to address deeper issues

In 2026, nearly 40 states have proposed restrictions on student cellphone use in K-12 schools, with around 20 states and Washington implementing strict bell-to-bell phone bans to address declining engagement and test scores.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Assembly Bill Phone-Free School Act, requiring California school districts to develop policies limiting cellphone usage and addressing how students interact with technology during the school day.
At Hoover High School in Fresno, student English proficiency on Smarter Balanced assessments increased 21% following cellphone restrictions implemented during the 2023-24 school year.
Lance Izumi of the Pacific Research Institute cautioned that phone bans are not a 'silver bullet,' telling The Center Square, "I think that's an indicator that the cellphones are, you know, having an overall negative impact."
K-12 public education accounts for nearly $1 trillion in taxpayer spending as test scores decline. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani launched a moratorium targeting artificial intelligence in classrooms for the 2026-27 school year.

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Analyst: School phone bans fail to address deeper issues

(The Center Square) – As more states ban phones in K-12 classrooms to reduce distractions and improve student engagement, an analyst says these policies do not address the deeper academic problems facing students.

16 hours ago

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