Minnesota school phone bans: What new research says about student mental health and performance

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - As students and teachers head back to school, new research is shedding light on what actually happens when cell phones are kept out of the classroom.

READ MORE: Minnesota schools could see cell phone ban, Bipartisan bill in play

What the research is finding

What we know:

St. Cloud State associate professor Jenny Hill studied the effects of stricter cell phone policies that began even before the Minnesota Legislature mandated that districts have policies — without specifying what those policies should be. Her findings largely match those from a recent study by Duke, Penn, Stanford and the University of Michigan, as well as from local educators.

"Kids are talking to each other more at lunch because they're not buried in front of a screen and they're more active. More books are being checked out from the library," said Jenny Hill, an associate professor at St. Cloud State. "We have fewer fights being played in the bathroom and fewer office referrals," said Hill.

Minnetonka Public Schools Supt. David Law said students themselves noticed a difference. "Our high school students were probably their earliest reporters that they noticed they were more focused in class without cell phones," said Law.

Sean Padden, a Minnesota middle school teacher, echoed that. "I've seen generally happier students, and of course, like you said, that transcends to happier teachers," said Padden.

The backstory:

Some researchers point to the early 2010s — around the time two-way phone cameras were introduced — as when student and teacher happiness began to decline. Academic performance also started slipping around that time.

Grant Eustice, a Minnesota high school teacher and advocate with Minnesota Unplugged, has been pushing for a statewide bell-to-bell ban on cell phones, rather than the patchwork of policies currently in place. "Standardized tests internationally have plummeted, our literacy and math rates have gone down. Is the phone the simple and easy and only fix? No, we have a lot of work to do, but it is the tip of the iceberg. It's where we need to start," said Eustice.

The push for a statewide ban

Local perspective:

Eustice frames the issue in stark terms. "I think this is a public health crisis. And if you compare it to big tobacco, we don't go around to every restaurant owner and ask them if we can put up a no smoking sign. We tell them this has to be done. You can decide exactly how you do it," said Eustice.

School administrators, however, have resisted that kind of mandate — even those who have already put full school day bans in place.

What they're saying:

While mental health benefits appear clear and teacher satisfaction improves when phones are out of the picture, the verdict is still out on whether removing phones directly boosts student academic performance.

Experts also say enforcement matters. Teachers who are tasked with enforcing a partial ban report lower satisfaction, suggesting that how a policy is structured makes a real difference.

What we don't know:

It's still unclear whether phone restrictions alone can meaningfully improve student academic performance in the long run. Researchers and educators agree there is more work to be done beyond phone policies.

Some educators are pointing to alternatives that go beyond bans. "I think we need to teach media balance and we need to model it," said Hill. Padden agreed, adding, "I think digital citizenship, mandatory class, would be huge," said Padden.

What's next:

Minnesota Unplugged will host a discussion about the use and exclusion of tech in the classroom on Sept. 14 and advocate for a new law at next year’s legislature.

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