By: Sally Roller
Cell phones can play an important role in a student’s life – from contacting parents to getting help during emergencies. A growing body of evidence is cause for concern about the impact of cell phone usage in schools.[1] Students are turning their attention to cell phones during class instead of listening to the educational content teachers present. Students are either physically staring at their phones or thinking about what messages they might have received while their phones are tucked away in lockers. Students use social media and messaging applications for positive interactions but also for negative interactions. Social media accessed on cell phones may also have negative health impacts such as depression and suicidal ideation, sleep disruption, or exposure to cyberbullying.[2]
The U.S. Department of Education has recognized the increase in cell phone usage among students as well as the potential negative health impacts. On December 3, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education issued a press release encouraging every state, district, and school to adopt policies that guide the use of student personal devices in schools.[3] U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said, “In this digital age, every elementary, middle, and high school should have a clear, consistent, and research-informed policy to guide the use of phones and personal devices in school.” He continued stating that there is “no one-size-fits-all policy” and that each school has differing needs depending on the school community.
The U.S. Department of Education recommends that schools use its new resource, Planning Together: A Playbook for Student Device Policies.[4] The new resource offers a model process that school leaders can use to create policies for restricting personal device usage. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said that the U.S. Department of Education wants to support school leaders and provide a resource to assist them in designing comprehensive policies. The Department developed the new resource in light of the May 2023 White House Fact Sheet announcing actions to protect youth mental health, safety, and privacy online.[5]
[1] U.S. Dep’t of Educ., U.S. Department of Education Calls on States, Districts, and Schools to Adopt Policies for Student Use of Cell Phones and Personal Devices (Dec. 3, 2024), available at:
https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-calls-states-districts-and-schools-adopt-policies-student-use-of-cell-phones-and-personal-devices.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] U.S. Dep’t of Educ., Planning Together: A Playbook for Student Device Policies, available at: https://tech.ed.gov/device-policy-playbook/.
[5] FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Actions to Protect Youth Mental Health, Safety & Privacy Online, (May 23, 2024), https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/23/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-actions-to-protect-youth-mental-health-safety-privacy-online/.