Smart Devices

Some education officials say building trust with parents and students has been key to the success of California's Phone-Free School Act, and will be essential in the conversations to come.

Three months into Texas' statewide ban on cellphones in school, officials are observing noticeable differences on campuses, but some say students need opportunities to learn what appropriate use of technology looks like.

A petition signed by more than 400 K-12 parents is calling for Ann Arbor Public Schools to do more than just restrict cellphone use while class is in session. They want phones out of the way throughout the school day.

After an initial period of suspensions and conflict around enforcement, Western Pennsylvania school district leaders are saying that phone bans have led to students talking more, fighting less and doing better on tests.

In response to a parent's concerns about what her child could access online through school-issued devices, the school board at Lexington-Richland School District 5 decided that online learning tools were still necessary.

A recent report by RAND Corp found that three quarters of school principals feel phone bans have improved school climate and reduced behavior problems, and only one in 20 said they placed new burdens on administrators.

Officials from the Pennsylvania State Education Association, formerly opposed to any top-down mandate from the state, were among those who gave testimony in support of a “bell-to-bell” ban, with limited exceptions.

After this year, Oklahoma school boards will have the option to decide whether to keep their current phone-use restrictions in place. Based on results they're seeing so far, it seems likely that many will do so.

Since enacting restrictions on cellphones in school, educators are reporting positive trends in student engagement, discipline and academic achievement, and students have attested to improved focus and mental health.

Communities in the Denver suburbs are part of a pilot that uses highly accurate geo-fencing technology to track electric scooters and prompt users to deposit them in the correct parking locations.

The editorial board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette argues for Pennsylvania joining at least 27 other states in restricting student use of cellphones during the school day, given the effects of such policies elsewhere.

There is no New Jersey law governing cellphones in schools, but school districts can win a minimum of $500 in grant funding from the state Department of Education for adopting bell-to-bell cellphone bans.

The University of Colorado Boulder launched a free mobile app for students, faculty and staff that can send emergency alerts and connect with local dispatch, mental health assistance and campus reporting services.

Given the results of school cellphone restrictions so far, some education leaders argue that overreliance on screens and devices in general is responsible for years of declines in student attention and achievement.

A new data intelligence platform is helping officials at Miami International Airport keep track of conditions and service needs at its nearly 200 public restrooms. The system provides workers with real-time updates.

Cellphone bans have been an easy win for everyone, because teachers already wanted phones out of their classrooms, most parents are concerned, and even many students say they wish social media had never been invented.

Jay Martin, director of School Safety & Security for the Nebraska Department of Education, warns that kids are learning cultural norms from social media instead of parents or their peers.

Education officials say Missouri's statewide cellphone ban at public and charter schools has brought consistency, focus and more social interaction. Some students agree, while others say they feel bored or limited.