In 2013, average test scores among American students began a downward trend that, more than a decade later, still has not reversed. The timing aligns with the rapid pace at which Americans – and teens, in particular, are using smartphones. Currently, 95% of teens report having access to a smartphone and 46% report being online “almost constantly.”
Academic achievement has declined across all student demographics, with the most significant impact on students already performing in the below-average range. While digital access can enrich learning, more than half of public school leaders report that in-school cell phone use interferes with academic performance, with an even high percentage reporting impacts on behavioral outcomes, and students’ mental health.
Policymakers have moved quickly on this issue. As of 2025, more than 30 states have enacted restrictions on cell phone use in classrooms, and 77% of public schools have policies that ban it.
Despite the surge in legislative activity, there is little rigorous research evaluating whether phone-free policies actually improve student outcomes and which are most effective. Some causal work has begun to emerge, including a recent study in Florida, but there is no large-scale national study examining the effects of these policies across different school types, student populations, and implementation models.
Are “bell-to-bell” bans more effective than classroom-level rules? Does locking phones in pouches lead to better outcomes than just telling kids to put them away? Do these policies help all students equally, or do some benefit more than others? Right now, schools are making big decisions around cell phone policies without the benefit of rigorous evidence.
Through our Causal Research on the Impacts of Cell Phone Policies in K‑12 Schools RFP, Arnold Ventures will support randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies to generate timely, policy-relevant evidence. In a fast-moving policy landscape, our goal is to replace intuition and anecdote with rigorous, causal research that helps schools adopt cell phone policies that truly work for the academic growth and well-being of their students.
