Despite a growing number of states adopting school cell phone bans, students ages 13 to 18 still spend an average of 70 minutes daily on their smartphones during school hours. The vast majority of that time involves scrolling social media on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, gaming on Roblox, and streaming videos on Netflix and YouTube. In contrast, students spend only a minute-and-a-half on education-related uses, including tutoring and homework help apps or programs like Google Docs.
This research shows that even though bans may have some positive impacts, students are still making poor decisions about how to use their devices during the school day.
The state of Connecticut, where I am a superintendent, does not yet count itself among the 27 states that have completely banned the use of wireless communications devices, including cell phones and tablets—or the others that have enacted partial bans or allow districts to adopt their own policies. Instead, our State Department of Education has advised districts to adopt an “away for the day” approach. I appreciate the flexibility of being able to implement a policy that fits our district’s unique needs. Instead of going “device-free,” we’ve chosen to emphasize “distraction-free” learning. Our strategy centers on teaching students how to use technology with integrity, courage, respect, and empathy—skills as essential as literacy or numeracy in today’s world.
In doing so, we embrace a more practical, commonsense, and responsible approach. We help students recognize when to use technology and when to walk away from it to embrace the benefits of social interaction and time in nature. We believe a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t as effective as teaching students self-discipline when using technology. Here’s how we’ve reduced cell phone use in our schools in a way that respects student autonomy, cultivates responsibility, and instills the necessary knowledge for success in the real world.
Instead of going 'device-free,' we've chosen to emphasize 'distraction-free' learning.
Meeting Students Where They Are
How we protect our kids and teach them digital safety and wellness depends on where they are developmentally and in their learning journey. As a result, we constantly assess and reassess our policy based on what students need and how we see devices impacting their executive functioning skills. We give educators a wide latitude to set usage policies with their classes, explaining when it’s appropriate to use cell phones and other technological devices and what programs are appropriate to be using. When a change needs to be made, we make it.
For example, we miscalculated the policy for our middle school when we initially decided that students could use cell phones during lunch and other non-academic school blocks. What we found was that they were not making responsible choices, so we switched to a bell-to-bell, no personal device policy. Did that mean no technology? Absolutely not. Students still use computers, chromebooks, and tablets daily for sanctioned learning. But by storing their personal devices during the school day, students have more space to build self-regulation, strengthen social connections, and stay present in their learning.
We encourage students to use their cell phones in practical, useful ways, such as adding a test prep date to their calendar or taking a photo for a class project.
Cultivating Responsibility
At the high school level, we enforce a policy of no cell phones or social media use in class. But we also encourage students to use their cell phones in practical, useful ways, such as adding a test prep date to their calendar or taking a photo for a class project. We trust our high school students to be responsible stewards of their personal devices–if their after-school soccer practice is cancelled, they can text their parents to let them know, and then store their phone away.
Some teachers give students options to charge their phones at a station in the corner or keep it on their person—with the stated understanding that if it’s brought out or used when it’s not supposed to be, then it’s taken away. It’s a progressive enforcement policy. The flexibility gives students space to figure out how to effectively manage their digital balance in an instructional setting, with the ultimate goal of transferring these soft skills to their everyday lives, including future pursuits in higher education and the workplace.
Embedding Digital Wellness Into Lessons
We support this independence with digital wellness lessons that are embedded into our core curriculum. Our health classes also include instruction on internet safety and how to build a responsible presence on social media. Just like we teach students about making healthy choices when it comes to eating and exercising, so, too, are we instilling the same thinking about their use of technology.
In an increasingly connected world, students need explicit guidance on managing screen time, evaluating online content, and understanding the impact of their digital footprint. Teaching these skills in school ensures all students—not just those who learn informally—are equipped to navigate social media in healthy and informed ways.
Outright bans may provide initial results, but not long-term, sustained changes in behavior.
Creating Digital Citizens
I’ve watched too many districts implement technology bans, hoping for better collective attention in classes and distraction-free learning. Unfortunately, many of their students are simply working around the ban—communicating via watches, Google docs, and burner phones, their attention still very much fragmented when learning should be occurring. Outright bans may provide initial results, but not long-term, sustained changes in behavior.
My district’s goal is to reframe digital citizenship around responsibility and mindfulness as opposed to regulation and discipline. Our cell phone policy isn’t about bell-to-bell restrictions; rather, it’s about building trust and balance, and preparing students for a connected world—not by shielding them from it, but by equipping them to thrive within it.
