Study Reveals School Cellphone Bans Improve Student Wellbeing but Not Academics
A comprehensive study involving approximately 40,000 American schools has shown that banning cellphones during school hours significantly improves student wellbeing, though it does not lead to the anticipated academic gains. Conducted between 2019 and 2026, the study found that student wellbeing improved notably within two years of implementing a complete ban on cellphones from the start to the end of the school day. Initially, there was a decline in wellbeing during the first year, but it rebounded by the second year. Despite the positive impact on wellbeing, the study did not find significant improvements in academic test scores, which remained close to zero over the first three years of the ban. The study also noted a substantial decrease in phone usage, with an 80% reduction in classroom phone use. However, incidents of bullying showed little change. The findings align with a similar survey conducted in New York, where 75% of teachers reported improved classroom environments following a statewide phone... 
