Many states, school districts, and individual schools are implementing new phone policies. Here, the AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health offers tips based on our review of the research and what we have heard from teachers and students. Pediatric clinicians play an important role in helping their patients adjust to their school’s phone policy and keeping media use healthy at home. 

What does the research say? 

Research is clear that phones are a distraction in school. Notifications and the temptation to check social media, video games, and online videos can interrupt children and teens’ learning and distract the other students around them. Phones can be used for bullying, through abusive texts or images sent via chats or social media. Many students report that other students have taken photos or videos of them without their permission. The majority of teachers in the US say that phones are a distraction, a source of arguments, and make their jobs harder. 

Research on the effectiveness of school phone policies is limited (please see this Center of Excellence Questions & Answer post for an in-depth review), and to date, there are no peer-reviewed studies of school phone policies in the US. Studies are currently in progress after many new policies debuted in Fall 2025. This map gives an overview of the landscape of school phone policies in the US, showing which states have state-wide legislation and when they go into effect. However, we can learn from international data, summarized here:  

  • One study in England found that standardized test scores increased after high schools implemented phone policies that didn’t allow phones on school campuses. 
  • Another study in Sweden, however, found no positive academic impact of phone policies. 
  • A study in Spain found some improvements in middle schoolers’ standardized test scores and a reduction of bullying in one school district after implementing a ban on “personal use” of phones in schools. 
  • A recent study in Norway that hasn’t been peer-reviewed yet found that middle school phone bans were followed by a decrease in bullying overall and increased grades in girls, particularly those from lower-socioeconomic status households. 
  • A 2025 study in South Australia found that after phone removal at schools, students reported higher concentration and attention, improved listening and communication, more classroom engagement with teachers, and less time spent worrying about social media.  
  • Another study in the same geographical area compared over 1200 students in grades 7-12 with a phone ban to a group without a ban. The groups did not differ significantly in terms of problematic phone use, academic engagement, and school belonging; students who were heavier social media users reported having a harder time complying with phone bans. 

What are we hearing from other voices? 

Educators 

The National Educational Association (NEA) recommends phone policies requiring that phones be put away “bell-to-bell” – meaning, phones can’t be used during lunch or when passing between classes. This recommendation is because many schools have found this approach to create more space for student social interactions and reduce opportunities for cyberbullying in school. NEA’s policy recommendations also include recommendations for exceptions to support individualized student 504 plans, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), for multilingual learners, and for student medical and/or family emergency needs. 

Youth 

As those most directly impacted by school phone policies, youth voice is critical to any discussions around implementation. Members of our Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) thoughtfully shared their experiences and insights. They reported that when bans were implemented, they appreciated reduced distractions and feeling less attached to their phones, which allowed for greater focus and productivity. However, they also reported that enforcement of policies continues to be inconsistent and falls to individual teachers to enforce. The YAP members’ main worries included not being able to reach parents in an emergency, fellow students figuring out and focusing on loopholes and ways to get around policies, and not being taught how to balance phone use before going to college.  

Hear directly from our Youth Advisory Panel Members: 

  • “Banning phones outright, in older high school grades specifically, can do a disservice to young adults. Learning personal responsibility through consequence is incredibly developmentally important at that age. No one is going to take away your phones in college or the workplace so young adults need to develop self-policing skills.” – Bansi B. 
  • “Although I’m open to the idea of cell phone bans, there must be exceptions made for students who have accommodations via their IEP or 504 plan. As a blind student, I use my phone in class to access websites that I may not be able to with a computer as well as to take notes with a Bluetooth keyboard.” – Ryan B. 
  • “I found myself more engaged with what my teacher was saying, and it was easier for me to pay attention because the distraction of having my phone and seeing notifications was just completely removed from my presence. But it helped knowing that my phone was in a safe little cubby right across the room if I really needed it.” – Amira P. 
  • “One issue that has arisen at my school is that rules about cell phone use are not uniform across classes. Some teachers have us put them in pouches while others don’t care what we do with our phones. I think the school, as a whole, needs to make a decision that keeps guidelines about phone usage more consistent, that way the responsibility doesn’t fall on the teachers to decide how to address it.” – Sadie B. 
  • “With the recent addition of Yondr pouches in our school district, I’ve heard stories of how people override the policy. Many students are hiding their actual phone, and putting their old phone, commonly known as a “trap phone,” in the pouch. People are also purchasing magnets to open the pouches. Some teachers who aren’t as strict will open the pouches for students in their class.” – Vakayla D. 

Parents 

In a 2024 survey of US parents, the National Parents Union found that the biggest worry (78% of parents of children with a phone) is being able to contact their child during an emergency. The reality of school shootings is something that hangs heavy over parents. Other main reasons parents want their kids to have phones at school include coordinating transportation (48%) and communicating about mental health needs (45%).  

Unsurprisingly, texts from parents are often a source of student phone notifications during school hours! New research, led by the Center and researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, shows that children were more likely to have a phone policy violation if they had an ongoing or chronic health condition or their parents contacted them at school by phone at least once a day. 

While the coordination concerns can be addressed through setting new expectations that parents contact their children through the ‘old-school’ approach – albeit less convenient – of calling the school office, pediatric practitioners should also recognize the fear and stress parents carry about school violence and providing emotional support. Parents may need support with the psychological experience of separating from children for the full school day.  

How can you help patients and families adjust to new school phone policies? 

  • First, help them know what the policy is. It should be available on the school website. 
  • If caregivers are frustrated or worried that a new phone policy won’t let them reach their child during emergencies, counsel them to speak to the school about what the emergency communication plan is. Encourage caregivers to speak directly to school staff with overall questions or concerns versus conveying concerns through their children.  
  • Suggest that the child activate “school time” phone settings on their phone (see Android phones and iPhones settings). This reduces temptation to check notifications.  
  • Caregivers will need to change their habits of texting with their child during the school day, whether providing emotional support or coordinating pick-ups. Reinforce the importance of separating from children and teens for their healthy development.  
  • If the child needs their device for health management (for example, diabetes blood sugar monitoring) or to assist with a disability, make sure access to the phone is included in their 504 plan or Individualized Educational Program. Also, many school-based health centers use phone-based messaging to reach students about time-sensitive health concerns during the school day. This can include confidential or sensitive care for adolescents, such as reproductive or mental health services.  Accommodations should be made for students to contact school health staff and caregivers regarding health issues during the school day, or to find alternative communication methods. 

If your patient is getting in trouble for violating the policy, we and the NEA recommend that the consequences be non-punitive – in other words, they shouldn’t be suspended. Take it as a sign that the student is struggling with social, emotional, or academic issues in school and may need more support. You can counsel the caregivers to meet with school administrators and ask if a special education or behavioral evaluation could help.  

Using school phone policies as a learning moment 

  • As school phone policies go into effect, it’s a good opportunity to teach students about their relationship with their phone. Use this as a digital self-reflection opportunity (Why is it so hard to put technology down? What are we afraid of missing? What feels good about putting the phone away?) and identify the underlying reasons kids are seeking escape during class or lunch time (for example, stress or bullying).  
  • Talk about what types of notifications show up on a phone during school hours. Is it OK for a video game to want a child’s attention during class? 
  • For students who are accustomed to using their phone as a stress reliever or calming tool, teach them other self-regulation strategies they can practice during the school day.  
  • Caregivers can set their kids up for success by challenging them to take longer breaks from their phone – for example, by setting do-not-disturb times while they go focus on other things. 
  • Encourage boundaries around school-issued devices too, so that students don’t just switch their distractions to a different screen.  
  • Advocate for and implement media literacy education in schools and at home so that students learn how to safely interact with digital media and create healthy balance.  
  • Finally, watch for after-school phone rebound. Pediatricians report more teens struggling with rules at home since school phone policies were implemented. Kids may feel that there is a lot to catch up on if they were away from their phone all day. This can get in the way of homework or sleep. Boundaries at home are just as important as those at school.  

Helpful Resources:  

 

Acknowledgements: We thank leaders from the AAP Council on Communications and Media, Council on Children with Disabilities, Council on School Health, Council on Community Pediatrics, and Committee on Adolescence for their review of this resource.  

 

 

Funding for the Center of Excellence was made possible by Grant No. SM087180 from SAMHSA of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, SAMHSA/HHS or the US Government.

 

Last Updated

04/27/2026

Source

American Academy of Pediatrics