School cell phone bans may boost student well-being—but not test scores, new study suggests

image via New Scientist

May 4, 2026, 5:00 PM

• •Cell phone bans in schools are associated with higher student well-being.
• •Test scores and attendance records have not significantly improved with bans.
• •Online bullying levels have not decreased.
• •Suspensions initially rose but leveled out over time.

A new study indicates that while school cell phone bans may boost student well-being, they do not necessarily improve test scores or reduce online bullying. The research, which examined schools using magnetically sealed pouches for phones, found increased well-being but no significant changes in academic performance or attendance. The study, conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research, analyzed data from over 40,000 schools between 2019 and 2026. The authors suggest that further research is needed to evaluate the long-term impacts of phone restrictions and different policy designs.

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