For years, cell phones in schools were a source of frustration. Limited, local bans were hard to enforce and put students in conflict with their teachers. This year, things changed. Influenced by the growing research on the negative impact of screen time on learning and mental health, including an advisory by the U.S. Surgeon General, Governor Ayotte signed into law a statewide bell-to-bell ban on personal communication devices in New Hampshire schools.
This bold step ensures every school across New Hampshire is on the same page. It requires school districts adopt a local policy, developed collaboratively with parents and staff, that bans students’ use of all personal communication devices – including phones, smartwatches, tablets, and personal computers – from the first bell of the day until the final afternoon bell.
Nationally, many school leaders welcome this policy as they have witnessed the disruptions firsthand. A 2025 national survey of public-school leaders revealed important insights:
- 53% believe cell phone usage has negatively impacted their students’ academic performance.
- More than two-thirds feel phones have negatively affected students’ mental health (72%) and attention span (73%).
When the ban was first announced parents, caregivers, and teachers expressed understandable concerns. How would families communicate during an emergency? Who will enforce the policy? However, as implementation began, the benefits seemed to outweigh the initial concerns.
Ban Increases Media Literacy
Overall, the ban on cell phones allows students to become more aware of the world around them through other sources of news and information that aren’t driven by an algorithm on TikTok. Now, they are hearing or reading other points of view. For middle schoolers, this is huge because they are starting to pay more attention to the world around them.
Is it Working?
From what I have seen, it is working in our building. Students are no longer on their phones during passing times, in the classroom or at lunch and recess. They are actually engaging with one another and having conversations – learning how to interact with one another. Students are also reading a bit more because they are not on their cell phones. Is it perfect, no. It will take some time to trickle up to the high school and for kids to be comfortable being disconnected all day, but it’s a start and I think it’s a good start.
When students are no longer distracted by their phones, the entire learning environment improves. Students are more focused on their lessons and less distracted overall. Without the constant reminders or notifications, students interact more fully with their peers, making more connections.
The statewide cell phone ban is a positive environmental prevention strategy strengthening important protective factors that foster healthy habits, solid relationships and academic success. Overall, the ban is supporting a school culture where real human contact is prioritized and social skills can flourish.
About the Author
Beth Sloat is a middle school librarian and library media specialist in southern New Hampshire. She has a masters in education with certification in library science from Plymouth State University. She’s currently working towards her digital learning specialist certification and plans to start a certification in teaching media literacy from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne in the fall.