How phone bans help Arizona schools (and how they don't)
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Schools across the U.S., including in Arizona, are cracking down on student cellphone use. But a new study finds the restrictions bring mixed results.
The big picture: Schools that require students to lock away their phones during class have seen phone use decline substantially, according to the study shared by the National Bureau of Economic Research in April.
- Student well-being also appears to improve the longer the rules remain in place.
Catch up quick: School cellphone bans gained bipartisan support over the past few years as concerns grew about worsening youth mental health and plunging test scores post-pandemic, the Washington Post reports.
Yes, but: "For academic achievement, average effects on test scores are consistently close to zero," the researchers wrote.
- And they found "little evidence" those policies affect attendance, attention in class or perceived online bullying.
By the numbers: As of this year, roughly two-thirds of states have enacted legislation limiting student phone access, per the study.
Zoom in: A 2025 law signed by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs directed school districts to devise policies to "limit the use of wireless communication devices by students during the school day."
- Mesa Public Schools require phones to be turned off and kept in backpacks, though high schoolers can use them outside of class.
- The Phoenix Union High School District bars personal phone use in class but doesn't require them to be put away.
- The Tolleson Union High School District requires phones to be kept in a backpack or a classroom lockbox.
- Paradise Valley Public Schools bans phone usage throughout the entire day, including lunch and passing periods.
What they're saying: A spokesperson for Teresa Leyba Ruiz, a Democrat running for state superintendent, tells Axios she "is aware that limited studies have so far shown mixed results." However, the spokesperson added, the law "hasn't been in effect long enough to generate data but she trusts local districts to serve their students."
- Outgoing superintendent Tom Horne declined to comment. Kimberly Yee, the Republican running against Ruiz in November, did not respond to inquiries.
The bottom line: Cellphone bans may still benefit students — even if they don't directly translate into higher test scores.