Over the years, many people have complained that all children have cell phones in schools, a situation suspected of leading to various forms of misuse, as well as causing students to be less focused. This has prompted several American states to implement cell phone bans in school, but now that the results are being examined, the bans have not had the desired effect on student performance.
The National Bureau of Economic Research conducted the study, which shows that only 13% of students now use cell phones in classrooms, down from 61% before the bans. Despite this, the New York Times notes that attendance has not improved in any way and that the effects on academic performance were negligible.
However, this does not mean the measure was ineffective, as students report increased well-being and teachers also say they are positive about the change.