On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper placed the first ever cell phone call. He held the Motorola DynaTAC. Weighing 2.5 pounds and measuring 9 inches long, “The Brick” required a 10-hour charge to power just 35 minutes of conversation.
Cooper could not have known that 50 years later, there would be more mobile phones than people on Earth. As they have become more compact, efficient, and useful, mobile phones have become more popular. Initially a tool reserved for the wealthiest, those who could afford a car phone, now cellphone ownership is ubiquitous.
In 2024, Pew released a survey finding 98% of Americans own a phone with 46% of American teenagers reporting being online “almost constantly.” A far cry from “The Brick,” modern cellphones weigh less than 6 ounces, the weight of a tennis ball. These new devices can charge within 30 minutes and last up to 30 hours.
Now cellphones are often “smart phones.” Smart phones allow users to access social media websites, video streaming, artificial intelligence, and more. It’s akin to having a computer in your hand all the time. Because of their convenience and ubiquity, children and adolescents are encountering digital content at younger ages, with fewer barriers to access than ever before.
A 2023 UNESCO report argues that smartphones should be allowed in classrooms only when they will bolster learning. Unstructured smartphone use exacerbates decreased student engagement and attentiveness. These challenges may be more pronounced in under-resourced schools, where limited staff capacity can make classroom management more difficult. As a result, disparities between students in low-income neighborhoods and more affluent areas may be further intensified.
A lot of resources are dedicated to addressing literacy in schools, but there appears to be another educational issue emerging in Ohio. Keyboarding classes are becoming less common, with younger students opting to type out entire papers on cellphone touch screens. The Journal reports that in 2000, 44% of high school graduates completed a typing class. In 2019 that number had fallen to just 2.5%. Without access to technological education, students may fall behind not only in reading literacy but also in digital literacy, which is an increasingly important skillset for the modern workforce. The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission discussed the tech divide in Franklin County in their Technology and Broadband Access report.
A decade ago, the Pew Research Center released the results of a 2015 survey finding that more than half of adult Americans lacked what they called “digital readiness”—a set of skills needed to use the internet and technology for more complex tasks. Americans with digital readiness tended to be younger and had higher incomes and education levels than those without these skills. They were more comfortable using and troubleshooting technology, as well as in their ability to seek out and evaluate trustworthy information.
Globally, some countries have taken legislative steps to restrict smartphone use in schools. UNESCO relays that in Zhengzhou, China, cellphone use in primary and secondary schools have been further restricted, with schools demanding that parents provide written consent for pedagogical use of the cellphone.
In France, a ‘digital break‘ was suggested in lower secondary schools. The digital break requires French middle schoolers to turn off their cellphones and hand them in at the start of the school day. Students receive their phones back at the end of the day.
At the opposite end, Saudi Arabia reversed its ban due to the opposition by disability groups for medical purposes. For example, students with a chronic illness like diabetes are able to monitor their blood sugars through an app on their phone. Additionally, disabled students with speech delays may be cut off from their communication devices, which help them to participate in conversation.
Domestically, states are handling the cellphone conundrum in different ways.
According to the Education Commission of the States, Florida’s HB 379 passed in 2023, prohibiting students from using cell phones during instructional time and requiring teachers to designate an area for cell phones during instructional time.
South Carolina took a slightly different approach by legislating that all schools needed to have a minimally sufficient student conduct policy. To be minimally sufficient, schools had to include directives for cellphone use at school.
In May 2024, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed HB 250, which requires all school districts to place an emphasis on limiting cell phone use and reducing cell phone-related distractions in classrooms. HB 250 includes exceptions for students who require a cell phone to monitor a health concern or for student learning as determined by school officials. In Ohio, students with disabilities are permitted to use their phones if such an accommodation is outlined in their 504 or Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
The question doesn’t seem to be whether smartphones belong in schools, but under what conditions their presence enhances or hinders learning. It’s not enough to simply restrict access. Given the interwoven nature of cellphones and modern life, educators and families will need to take an active role in teaching young people how to think critically about the information they consume online, how to stay safe, and how to protect their private information.
We can’t go back to a life without cellphones, but we can craft policies that use technology to enhance equity, rather than broaden the gap. Here are some policy options for districts working to navigate this territory.
Establish Clear, Consistent Usage Policies:
Communities can develop district-wide guidelines specifying when and how smartphones are used during school. These policies should distinguish between instructional time and free time. Policies should also provide explicit expectations for both students and staff.
Implement Technology-Free Zones and Times:
Rising anxiety rates among adolescents has been linked to their increased screen time. Schools may benefit from designating phone-free times and places—such as during instructional time in the classroom or during the lunch hour—to encourage focused study and face-to-face interactions. One study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that about 1 in 4 teenagers who had at least 4 hours of daily screen time have experienced anxiety (27.1%) or depression symptoms (25.9%) in the past 2 weeks.
Invest in Digital Literacy Education:
Schools should teach students how to use smartphones responsibly and to critically evaluate online information. Individuals need to be informed about the lasting impact of their digital footprint.
Additionally, many adults lack basic digital literacy since the “.com boom” happened after completing their formal education. Expanding digital literacy classes to adults can improve community-wide use of technology.
Provide Alternatives for Technology-Integrated Instruction:
Providing each teacher or classroom with a set of laptops has become increasingly common, often called the “chrome cart." When cellphones or personal computers are integrated into instruction, students should be given the opportunity to use their own device or to borrow one from the school. By providing access to every student, but allowing for flexibility, schools can potentially reduce inequality.
Include Students in Policy Implementation:
As students are growing up immersed in digital technology, they can offer valuable insights into how these tools are used in educational settings. Including student perspectives in the development of digital use policies can help ensure that such policies are practical and reflective of real-world experiences.
Monitor and Evaluate Policy Effectiveness:
Data collection on student engagement, academic performance, and overall wellbeing may provide valuable insights as we adjust our society bit by bit. Each misstep in technology use policy provides us information to better approach the problem going forward.