Watch the RecordingListen to the Podcast

The increasing prominence of mobile devices in schools has caused numerous problems for students, both in and out of class. Clearly, schools need to take action.

During the edLeader Panel “Support Student Well-Being Through Focused Learning and Meaningful Human Connection,” Dr. Julie A. Vitale, Superintendent of Oceanside Unified School District (CA), and Dr. April M. Moore, Superintendent of Sierra Sands Unified School District (CA), along with Jennifer Andrulewicz and Katey Secrist from Generation Faraday, had a conversation about the issues mobile devices can cause and shared strategies and solutions to meet schools’ individual needs and positively impact student mental health.

Smartphones: A Near-Constant Part of Students’ Lives

Smartphones and other mobile devices have become near-constant parts of students’ lives, with negative results. For example:

• Schools have reported a decrease in engagement, attention spans, and attendance, as well as an increase in disciplinary issues and distractions.
• Outside of class, students aren’t engaging with friends and family, choosing to instead focus on their phones. Face-to-face conversations have decreased, and screens have become students’ main means of interaction with the world and validation. They are losing the ability to form meaningful human connections, developing more severe anxiety and depression, and losing a sense of community.
• Students can use videos and social media to bully each other and incite altercations.
• Constant access to social media distracts students because they focus on what their peers are posting and want to emulate them.
• Students can sneak phones and earbuds into class, hiding them from teachers and becoming disengaged with their lessons.

Overall, students are disconnected from peers, school, and activities, and self-control on their end is rarely enough—schools need a definitive plan.

A Community Effort

Most districts already have policies limiting or restricting the use of phones in classes, but often those policies are inconsistently enforced. A good phone policy needs the whole community involved and on the same page if it’s going to work.

Creating an effective plan starts with bringing families, staff, and students together. Everyone, even students, recognizes that phones are an issue in schools and can provide their input in handling the problem. For example, leadership can reach out to groups to have listening sessions and administer surveys. Speaking with representatives of the student body and with groups of parents helps leaders understand the concerns of the whole school community.

It’s important to communicate legislation and current policies around phones to help the community understand what’s currently being done and why. Then, they can better express what they still need and want in a policy. Listening to concerns and ideas from the community helps leaders create effective plans they can take to the district to discuss and implement.

Most parental concerns regarding phone restrictions focus on safety and emergencies. By making sure all staff are trained for emergency situations and explaining how the school handles them (e.g., the school’s first action in case of an emergency is calling 911 and having clear emergency responder lanes around the school), leaders can put parents at ease over phone restrictions.

Clear Policies, Clear Improvements

Districts that implement policies regarding phones have seen huge decreases in disciplinary issues and increases in student productivity, with students reporting that they feel less anxious and are better able to focus in class and interact with their peers. Feedback from staff and families has been positive across the board, and even negative behaviors outside of class, such as cyberbullying, have been reduced.

Students are now communicating more with their peers and engaging in school and activities, and their self-esteem and mental health have greatly improved. All around, schools have reported that restricting phone usage has been extremely positive.

By working with the community to develop meaningful solutions around phone use, schools can ensure students stay engaged in class and form the interpersonal skills and relationships they need.

Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, Support Student Well-Being Through Focused Learning and Meaningful Human Connection, sponsored by Generation Faraday.

Watch the RecordingListen to the Podcast

Join the Community

Social-Emotional Learning is a free professional learning community where educators can collaborate and share ideas, examples, and resources for incorporating social-emotional learning in the classroom.

Generation Faraday is on a mission to create distraction-free environments where students, educators, and communities can thrive. At our core, we design and deliver signal-blocking Faraday bags and solutions that eliminate smartphone distractions in schools, homes, and other shared spaces—helping learners stay focused, engaged, and present. By completely blocking cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth signals, our technology enables schools to implement effective phone-free policies without taking devices away, giving teachers more time to teach and students more opportunities to learn. Built on trusted signal-blocking technology used by law enforcement and military partners, Generation Faraday products are proven tools for boosting classroom focus, reducing conflicts, and fostering healthier digital habits beyond the school day. Together with educators, parents, and partners, we’re advancing a movement toward balanced technology use and more mindful learning environments.

Article by Jon Scanlon, based on this edLeader Panel