Education 22 October 2025 - 15 February 2026

The Michigan House passed House Bill 4141, which would require public and charter schools to restrict student smartphone use during class, with exceptions for medical needs and emergencies. The bill excludes private schools and allows districts to set stricter rules. The measure now moves to the Senate, with supporters targeting implementation for the 2026-27 school year. Governor Whitmer has called the issue a priority.

U.S. teens spend an average of 1.16 hours daily on smartphones during school hours, mostly on social media, according to a University of Washington-linked study using passive phone monitoring. The research tracked 640 adolescents from 2022 to 2024 and found higher use among older and lower-income teens. The findings come as more states and countries adopt stricter school phone bans and under-16 social media restrictions.

A major Florida study found school cellphone bans raised test scores and reduced absences, especially among boys and older students, after an initial rise in suspensions. At least 22 U.S. states and several countries have adopted or expanded bans. UK research indicates bans alone do not improve mental health. Experts urge combining restrictions with digital education and safer tech design.

Test scores in a Florida district rose 2–3 percentile points in the second year of a strict cell phone ban, with attendance gains driving about half the increase. Suspension rates more than doubled during the first year of enforcement but returned to near-normal by year two. Nationwide, about 20 states now require school phone bans. Researchers found the academic gains were modest and uneven, with Black and female students seeing little benefit.