Facing the lowest eighth-grade test scores in two decades, New York is implementing a bell-to-bell cellphone ban in public schools starting this fall, according to the Times Union. Officials hope the move will curb distractions and boost academic performance.
Local districts that already adopted similar bans report more engaged students, better class discussions, and less disciplinary time lost to phone use. Though formal test score improvements are still anecdotal, educators say early signs are promising.
Experts and national studies support the link between phone use and academic decline. Supporters argue the ban is a low-cost way to help struggling students, especially after a pandemic-fueled surge in screen time.
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