Circulated in January through the National Bureau of Economic Research, used survey data from a nationally representative sample of thousands of teenagers to investigate one of the more controversial questions in American life: How much is young people鈥檚 engagement with the internet contributing to of their mental health?

With youth exposure to technology reaching saturation levels 鈥� a 2025 report showed that now have their own mobile device 鈥� prominent scholars have spent the last few years pointing to between kids鈥� use of screens and social media and their mounting rates of depression. Skeptics counter that the theory mistakes correlation for causation, and that troubled adolescents likely spend more time plugged in to escape the stress or loneliness they are already feeling.

Brandyn Churchill, the paper鈥檚 lead author and an economist at American University, said that he sought to overcome the 鈥渁mbiguity鈥� of cause and effect by exploiting the uneven pace of broadband鈥檚 expansion across the country.

鈥淭his avoids the correlation-versus-causation issue because it’s a natural experiment with a control group and a treatment group,鈥� Churchill said. 鈥淚n states where they gained greater access to broadband, mental health among kids got worse compared to states where they did not.鈥�

Complicating somewhat the broadly observed trend that girls experience worse consequences from time spent online, the study also shows that suicidal thoughts also intensify among male students in proportion to internet access. But its findings generally dovetail with other research from around the world that has tied high-speed internet with psychological problems.

Relying , Churchill and co-author Kathryn Johnson tracked the deployment of broadband across American counties between 2009 and 2019, a period during which the U.S. moved from just under 70 percent coverage to approximately 90 percent. Sizable variation existed between states, with broadband reaching less than 50 percent of Mississippi counties and almost 90 percent of Massachusetts counties as the 2010s began.

As each new community mothballed its dial-up internet, the adolescents living in them responded by logging on more frequently. Responses to the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a school-based poll administered by the Centers for Disease Control to thousands of high schoolers, showed that heightened access to high-speed connections predictably led to teenagers devoting more hours of each day to online activity. 

The switch 鈥渆nabled new types of technologies that we didn’t have when dial-up was more common,” Churchill said, including streaming and video-based social media. 鈥淵ou gained the ability to move to photo- and video-based social media like Instagram, Snapchat, and obviously TikTok nowadays.鈥�

But with the increased internet usage came a more disturbing increase in children鈥檚 attitudes. According to the CDC survey, those who spent more than five hours online each day were 68 percent more likely to have considered suicide in a given year than those spending at most one hour online. Heavy users were 64 percent more likely to have actually attempted suicide.

Growing body of evidence

By digging further into the survey responses, the authors discovered possible channels for the negative emotion, each familiar to many parents and educators working with young adults. 

For example, with each increase of broadband access by one standard deviation (a common statistical term measuring difference from a statistical average), adolescent girls were 9 percent more likely to complain that they were being cyberbullied. They were also 8 percent more likely to describe themselves as overweight, though broadband availability was not associated with changes to youth body-mass index during the time under study. Boys became almost 10 percent more likely to report that they were getting insufficient sleep each night.

While girls absorbed a larger impact than boys, each group saw significantly higher levels of suicidal thoughts as they took part in more high-speed internet.

Esther Arenas-Arroyo, an associate professor at the Vienna University of Economics who has conducted similar studies within Europe, said that there are some drawbacks to focusing on internet usage rather than the penetration of specific technologies, such as smartphones or social media apps. Still, she added, access to broadband represents 鈥渁 necessary condition for the types of online behaviors most plausibly linked to deteriorations in youth mental health.鈥�

鈥淓xisting evidence shows that adolescents are far more likely to engage with social media, entertainment, and video platforms when they are at home with high-quality connectivity,鈥� Arenas-Arroyo wrote in an email.

Last year, the economist published on youth mental health and its interactions with digital activity. Rather than simple access to broadband, that work examines the rollout of ultra-high-speed fiber optics that have increasingly replaced slower forms of broadband in her native Spain. Like Churchill, she and her collaborators concluded that the acceleration of internet connectivity led to more 鈥渁ddictive鈥� internet usage; additionally, however, she combined that data with hospital records, finding that fiber deployment contributed to a documented jump in mental health diagnoses and suicide attempts.

Arenas-Arroyo argued that the body of research around the topic has become too large for education leaders and the political class to ignore. 

鈥淎 growing body of causal evidence, including my findings, shows that as internet access becomes faster and more ubiquitous, its potential risks to adolescent mental health may intensify,鈥� she observed. 鈥淭his shifts the policy debate away from whether there is a problem and toward how to mitigate its negative effects.鈥� 

Policy changes across multiple countries have already begun to alter the way that students interact with the internet. A survey released last month by the University of Southern California found that 98 percent of America鈥檚 K鈥�12 students attend a school with some form of limitation on cell phone use, with over three-quarters of teenaged respondents saying they supported the restrictions.

Even blunter tools have been embraced internationally, with by banning all use of social media for children under 16. On Tuesday, Spain to do the same, with the country鈥檚 prime minister decrying social media as 鈥渁 failed state.鈥�

Churchill conceded that it would be impossible, and probably undesirable, for countries across the West to attempt to push back the adoption of broadband. But with the research consensus around the potential downsides of the technology growing louder, he added, governments will likely find themselves charged with the task of addressing them.

鈥淥ur work is built on national estimates of adolescents across the entire United States 鈥� and yes, our results line up with a lot of the other results that existed,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat should increase our confidence in making policy recommendations based on these findings.”

But the attorney and former teacher said he鈥檚 never seen anything like this year, where he鈥檚 currently helping to guide the nation鈥檚 second-largest school system through some rough situations. 

That includes federal agents , looking for immigrant students; cratering enrollments; and spiraling mental health problems, fueled by a widespread cell phone addiction among students the district is now finally trying to address in an effort led by Melvoin.

It鈥檚 a lot on the plate of the , who represents a large, diverse district in West L.A. and the West San Fernando Valley, which stretches from Encino to Hollywood and from the Pacific Palisades to Venice. 

And, almost unbelievably, it鈥檚 all happening amid an that experts say could turn out to be the country鈥檚 . L.A.鈥檚 devastating wildfires of unprecedented strength this year struck Melvoin鈥檚 board district directly, and consumed entire neighborhoods whole, homes, schools and all. 

The Palisades fire burned for two dozen days in January, killing 12 and destroying nearly 7000 buildings. Part of a complex of fires that struck the city this winter, the blaze displaced hundreds of families from Melvoin鈥檚 schools.    

That鈥檚 where we start our talk with him. 

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. 

How is the recovery going for the neighborhoods destroyed in the Palisades Fire?

We’re just taking it one step at a time. I was proud of the work we did to relocate to our elementary schools, in their entirety, within eight days. The Army Corps disaster team told me they rarely see anything like that. So that was a nice validation of the work we did.

As we think about the permanent rebuild, you know, I’m cognizant that I’m also not just building for the next five years, but the next fifty.  Hopefully this was a once-in-a-century sort of disaster.

What we’re thinking through what is, what do communities need, and how does the school district serve those communities? It’s a lot, but I’m inspired by the resilience.

There’s a lot of change happening right now at the federal level, under the new Trump administration. What are the ramifications for LA Unified?

Having served on the school board during the first Trump administration, you don’t want to swing at every pitch. We’re fully committed to protecting our vulnerable students. But we’re also not out there putting a target on their back by talking about it.

What’s really important to me is the congressional appropriation in Title One. There鈥檚 over a billion dollars for us to protect there, in that federal funding.

It boils down to protecting the federal money for local programs.

One hundred percent. So that’s why we try to take a fine line.

Still, high-profile LAUSD programs like the Black Student Achievement Plan, for example, would seem to catch the eye of the Trump administration鈥檚 anti-DEI wing.

One of the ironies, which you’re probably aware of, is that the Biden administration actually came after us because of the Black Student Achievement Plan. I’m just trying to call it like I see it. Because we’re in the business of running a school district, and not trying to play politics.

But you can鈥檛 avoid the big, sweeping changes in history, like the larger demographic shifts that are driving local enrollment declines for LAUSD.  

Part of the solution for enrollment is to see what’s working. Let鈥檚 create options that parents want.

But part of it is also acknowledging that the cost of living has skyrocketed. Folks are having fewer kids. We just don’t have the enrollment we used to, and we’re not going to.

So how do we think of our property? Are we going to build housing? Are we going to try to mitigate some of the charter co-locations?

You pushed hard for the district鈥檚 new smartphone ban. Congratulations on getting it done.

I had a meeting of my Youth Advisory Council, which is composed of students from each of my high schools. And they shared some really positive feedback. They like not being on phones.

I would say it鈥檚 been successful, as far as we continue to monitor the data. But this is a cultural shift. It wasn’t going to happen overnight.

Teachers liked the idea, but some students and parents were worried about losing touch. Now that the policy is in place, how鈥檚 it working out?  

Schools have, like, 95% general compliance. And then, if there鈥檚 an issue, they just enforce the consequences. If a student violates the rules, their phone is getting confiscated.

The first time a parent or guardian has to come into the school and pick up that student鈥檚 phone, that鈥檚 usually the end of it. Because those parents are not willing to do that again.

But is the absence of phones actually helpful for school climate?

I have more evidence of this at schools that were early adopters of cell phone policies. Those schools report that visits to psychiatric social workers are down, and visits to counselors are down. Anxiety is down. Kids report they’re happier.

Sounds like you鈥檙e off to a good start then.

I’m always of two minds. On the one hand, I think it’s a great time when we’re trending in the right direction, when we’re outperforming the state, or when we鈥檙e outperforming our peer districts. But I also won’t be satisfied until, objectively, we’re doing much better.

The Senate Education Committee voted 4-1 to send  to the floor for consideration by the whole body, but not before softening the language to read 鈥渞estrict鈥� instead of the original 鈥減rohibit.鈥� 

The measure comes amid a bipartisan trend of new limits on smartphone and social media use in schools. Nearly 20 states, including California, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Florida, have passed laws or enacted policies that either ban or restrict students鈥� use of cellphones or recommend local districts enact such policies. 

Sponsor Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, a retired teacher, said she was inspired to bring the bill by a common teacher complaint that policing phone use has become a classroom nightmare. She cited data on the harmful mental health effects of social media and the hours of screentime many teenagers experience. 

鈥淲hen we talk about trying to do good things for our kids in education, I think this might be one of the most important things we can do for our students,鈥� Schuler said. 

The bill zeroes in on restricting use just during 鈥渋nstructional time.鈥�

Not everyone agreed, however, that it鈥檚 as simple as banning devices, and due to potential complexities around safety, health conditions and communication needs, lawmakers replaced the more stringent 鈥減rohibit鈥� in the original version with 鈥渞estrict.鈥�

What they said

At least 18 of Wyoming鈥檚 48 school districts 鈥� and likely more 鈥� do not have cellphone policies, according to data collected this fall by the Wyoming School Boards Association. The lack of district-wide policies hasn鈥檛 stopped some schools in those districts from adopting specific rules. Senate File 21 would force all districts to adopt policies restricting smartphone use

In states that already have such regulations, Schuler said, the results are promising. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e seeing better social interactions with kids with their peers, better focus in class, higher achievement.鈥� 

Kirk Schmidt of Lander, a retired school administrator, warned lawmakers about passing a bill that would not be nimble enough to react to the ever-changing realities of technology. 

Schmidt also noted that some teachers use these devices for instructional purposes. 鈥淭his takes all that away,鈥� he said. 

Others wondered about enforcement, privacy concerns and timelines. 

Supporters, meanwhile, echoed that smartphones are correlated with declining academic performance and behavioral problems like bullying. 

鈥淚 can tell you that the phones in the schools are very difficult for the teachers and administrators,鈥� said Cheyenne resident Deb Mutter Shamley, who has experienced it firsthand as a substitute teacher. 

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder supports the bill, a spokesperson told lawmakers. Degenfelder and Gov. Mark Gordon penned a joint letter in September urging Wyoming schools to limit cellphones. 

Tweaks 

In order to allow districts more flexibility, committee members voted to amend the language. They also pushed out the timeline two months to give school districts until Sept. 1 to enact policies. 

Sen. Charlie Scott, R-Casper, said he thinks the measure can 鈥渕ake significant progress in improving the quality of instruction in public schools.鈥�

Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, who cited concern about state government overreach, was the lone dissenting vote. 

The bill now heads to the Senate floor where it must pass three readings before it can advance to the House.

This was originally published on .

One thing is clear from the stories that populate this year鈥檚 list: Many of America鈥檚 schools are still grappling with the academic struggles that followed the pandemic 鈥� as well as the end of federal relief funds, which expired this fall. Student enrollments have yet to recover and many districts are facing 鈥� or will soon face 鈥� tough decisions about closures.

Meanwhile, some educators are testing innovative ways of teaching math, reading and science, hoping to gain back some of the academic ground lost since the COVID shutdowns. Technology is also playing a pivotal role in this post-pandemic world, with communities weighing the impact of cellphones and artificial intelligence on student learning and mental health.

November鈥檚 election 鈥� which featured debates over school choice, Christianity in public schools and the fate of the Department of Education 鈥� also made headlines here at 蜜桃影视. And, as calls for cracking down on immigration grew even louder, we dug deep into the hurdles facing immigrant students and schools. 

Here鈥檚 a roundup of our most memorable and impactful stories of the year:

Exclusive: Thousands of Schools at Risk of Closing Due to Enrollment Loss

By Linda Jacobson

Long before districts close schools, enrollment loss takes a toll on staff and families, from combined classes to the loss of afterschool programs. This exclusive analysis by Linda Jacobson, based on Brookings Institution research, found that more than 4,400 schools lost at least one-fifth of their students during the pandemic 鈥� more than double the number during the pre-COVID period. The detailed look shows how the crisis is playing out at the school level and which districts face tough decisions about closures and cuts. 

Unwelcome to America鈥�: Hundreds of U.S. High Schools Wrongfully Refused Entry to Older, Immigrant Student

By Jo Napolitano

蜜桃影视鈥檚 16-month-long undercover investigation of school enrollment practices for older immigrant students revealed rampant refusals of teens who had a legal right to attend, shutting a door critical to success in America. Senior reporter Jo Napolitano called 630 high schools in every state and D.C. to test whether they would enroll a 19-year-old Venezuelan newcomer who had limited English language skills and whose education was interrupted after ninth grade. 鈥淗ector Guerrero鈥� was turned down more than 300 times, including 204 denials in the 35 states and D.C., where high school attendance goes up to at least age 20. 蜜桃影视鈥檚 investigation revealed pervasive hostility and suspicion toward these students in a particularly xenophobic era and a deeply arbitrary process determining their access to K-12 education.

Interactive: Which School Districts Do the Best Job of Teaching Kids to Read?

By Chad Aldeman

It’s not news that low-income fourth graders are years behind their higher-income peers in reading. But poverty is not destiny, and some schools and districts hugely outperform expectations. Working with Eamonn Fitzmaurice, 蜜桃影视鈥檚 art and technology director, contributor Chad Aldeman set out to find districts that are beating the odds and successfully teaching kids to read. From Steubenville City, Ohio, to Worcester County, Maryland, and across the country, click on their interactive map to find the highfliers in your state. 

Whistleblower: L.A. Schools鈥� Chatbot Misused Student Data as Tech Company Crumbled

by Mark Keierleber

In early June, a former top software engineer at ed tech startup, AllHere, warned Los Angeles district officials and others about student data privacy risks associated with the company鈥檚 AI chatbot “Ed.” The LA Unified School District had agreed to pay AllHere $6 million for the chatbot and the spring rollout of Ed was highly publicized, with L.A. schools chief Alberto Carvalho calling the chatbot鈥檚 student knowledge powers 鈥渦nprecedented in American public education.鈥� But, as Mark Keierleber reported, red flags soon began to emerge. The company financially imploded and its founder Joanna Smith-Griffin left the company. In November, federal prosecutors indicted her, accusing of defrauding investors of $10 million.

America’s Most Popular Autism Therapy May Not Work 鈥� and May Cause Serious Harms

by Beth Hawkins

Today, a child鈥檚 new autism diagnosis is frequently followed by a referral to a variation of an intervention called applied behavior analysis, or ABA, and four decades of pressure from parents and advocates has created a sprawling treatment industry. Yet, even as providers and lobbyists jockey to strengthen ABA’s dominance, autistic adults and researchers increasingly say there鈥檚 alarmingly little proof it鈥檚 effective 鈥� and mounting evidence it鈥檚 traumatizing. In an exclusive investigation, Beth Hawkins spoke with families, teachers and scholars about the growing controversy surrounding autism鈥檚 鈥済old standard鈥� treatment. 

A Cautionary AI Tale: Why IBM鈥檚 Dazzling Watson Supercomputer Made a Lousy Tutor

by Greg Toppo

In 2011, IBM’s Watson supercomputer crushed Jeopardy! champions, raising hopes that it could help create a powerful tutoring system that would rival human teachers. But the visionary at the head of the effort watched as the project fizzled, the victim of AI’s inability to hold students鈥� attention. As new educational AI contenders like Khanmigo emerge, what lessons can they learn from the past? 蜜桃影视鈥檚 Greg Toppo took a look at how IBM鈥檚 failed effort tempers today鈥檚 shiny AI promises.

State-by-State, How Segregation Legally Continues 7 Decades Post Brown v. Board

by Marianna McMurdock

Seventy years after the Supreme Court outlawed separating public school children by race, Marianna McMurdock sought to answer a pivotal question: How are some of the most coveted public schools in the U.S. able to legally exclude all but the most privileged families? Last spring, she spoke with researchers at the nonprofits Available to All and Bellwether, which published a report that examined the troubling laws, loopholes and trends that are undermining the legacy of Brown v. Board in each state. The researchers called for urgent legal reform to offset the impact that one鈥檚 home address has on enrollment, particularly as many districts have started considering closures.

Being 鈥楤ad at Math鈥� Is a Pervasive Concept. Can it Be Banished From Schools?

by Jo Napolitano

Are you bad at math? If you are, it鈥檚 likely that self-fulfilling seed got planted early. Many math education leaders are trying to uproot that thinking, arguing that any student can master the subject with the right accommodations and tutoring. Changing the bad-at-math mindset in U.S. schools, however, will not be easy, others warn. 鈥淲e use math as a means to sort kids by who gets to be at the top and who gets to be at the bottom,鈥� one math equity advocate told Jo Napolitano. 

Hope Rises in Pine Bluff: Saving Schools in America’s Fastest-Shrinking City

by 蜜桃影视 Staff

Pine Bluff, Arkansas, earned the unwelcome distinction in the 2020 census of being America’s fastest-shrinking city, losing over 12% of its population in one decade. Amid this exodus of families, students and taxpayers, its school district had to navigate school closures, budget pressures and a state takeover. Throughout last winter, members of 蜜桃影视鈥檚 newsroom embedded in Pine Bluff to report on the region鈥檚 trajectory. Here are some of the powerful stories they came back with: 

Kids, Screen Time & Despair: An Expert in the Economics of Happiness Echoes Psychologists鈥� Warnings About Tech

By Kevin Mahnken

A prominent economist has joined the growing chorus of experts warning against the dangers posed to youth mental health by screens and social media, reported Kevin Mahnken. New papers released by Dartmouth College professor Danny Blanchflower, a leading expert in the burgeoning field of happiness economics, suggest that the huge increase in screen time over the last decade has made the young more likely to despair than the middle-aged. 

Why Is a Grading System Touted as More Accurate, Equitable So Hard to Implement?

By Amanda Geduld

As educators push for more transparency in grading policies post-pandemic, some are turning to standards-based grading. When done correctly, it separates academic mastery from behavior and more accurately reflects what students know. But misunderstandings of the model, a lack of proper training, and a rush to adopt it often leads to messy implementation. Associate professor Laura Link told Amanda Geduld that as schools look to fix learning gaps, 鈥渟tandards-based grading is one that seems like it can be a quickly adopted effort. But it could backfire 鈥� and does backfire 鈥� very easily.鈥�

Texas Seeks to Inject Bible Stories into Elementary School Reading Program

by Linda Jacobson

Last May, a sweeping redesign of Texas鈥� elementary school curriculum that used Bible stories to teach reading was unveiled. At the time, state education Commissioner Mike Morath described the changes as a shift toward a 鈥渃lassical model of education.鈥� But the revisions raised questions about potential religious indoctrination and bias. Nevertheless, in November, the Texas Board of Education approved the new curriculum in a close vote. Linda Jacobson followed the story closely.

The Political War Over the Department of Education Is Only Beginning

By Kevin Mahnken 

Fresh from their November victories, Republicans are already working to help President-elect Donald Trump achieve his promise of abolishing the U.S. Department of Education. But research suggests that, while perceptions of the agency are mixed, the public is unlikely to back a sweeping course of elimination. 鈥淪aying you鈥檒l get rid of it reads generically as being anti-education,鈥� one political scientist told Kevin Mahnken. 鈥淭hat strikes me as a very heavy albatross to hang around your neck come the midterms.” 

18 Years, $2 Billion: Inside New Orleans’ Biggest School Recovery Effort in History

By Beth Hawkins

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed 110 New Orleans schools. Displaced families could not return until there were classrooms to welcome their kids, but no one had ever tried to rebuild an entire school system. While many of the buildings were moldering even before the storm, federal funds couldn’t be used to build something better. Some of the schools had landmark status and were of great historical significance. Eighteen years and $2 billion later, Beth Hawkins took a look at seven schools that illustrate how the district accomplished the task.

As Ryan Walters鈥� Right-Wing Star Rose, Critics Say Oklahoma Ed Dept. Fell Apart

By Linda Jacobson

Oklahoma state education chief Republican Ryan Walters has acted as a one-man publicity machine, a performance that鈥檚 earned him venomous foes and ardent fans who follow him with a near-religious fervor. But one casualty of his approach might be a functioning state education bureaucracy. Even Republican lawmakers have grown impatient, calling for a probe into how Walters handles state and federal funds. As Rep. Tammy West, a GOP incumbent running for re-election, told reporter Linda Jacobson, 鈥淩egardless of party, citizens want transparency, accountability and communication.鈥�

AI 鈥楥ompanions鈥� Are Patient, Funny, Upbeat 鈥� and Probably Rewiring Kids Brains

By Greg Toppo

A college student relies on ChatGPT to help him make life decisions, including whether to break up with his girlfriend. Is this a future we feel good about? While AI bots and companions like ChatGPT, Replika and Snapchat鈥檚 MyAI, can offer support, comfort and advice, experts are beginning to warn of potential risks. 蜜桃影视鈥檚 Greg Toppo talks to researchers and policy experts about what we should be doing to help make them safer.

Indiana Looks to Swiss Experts to Create Thousands of Student Apprenticeships

By Patrick O鈥橠onnell

Indiana officials have turned to experts at the Swiss version of MIT for help in becoming a national career training leader by making apprenticeships available to thousands of high school students across the state. Indiana is the latest state to work with ETH Zurich 鈥� where Albert Einstein once studied 鈥� to develop ways to break down barriers between educators and businesses so that career training can be a large part of a reinvented high school experience, reported Patrick O鈥橠onnell. 

Investigation: Nearly 1,000 Native Children Died in Federal Boarding Schools

By Marianna McMurdock 

Nearly 1,000 Native American children died while forced to attend government-affiliated boarding schools, according to a report published last summer by the Interior Department. The children are buried in 74 unmarked and marked graves, reported Marianna McMurdock, as tribes assess repatriation of remains. Nearly 19,000 children were estimated to be kidnapped, often at gunpoint, and enrolled in the schools with the aim of assimilation. “We [were] never called by our name, we were all called by our numbers,鈥� said one survivor. 

The Nation鈥檚 Biggest Charter School System Is Under Fire in Los Angeles

By Ben Chapman 

The nation鈥檚 largest experiment with charter schools is no longer growing. These days, Los Angeles charter operators say they are just trying to survive. With tough new policies governing co-locations, falling enrollment, and a hostile district school board, charter leaders say they鈥檝e never faced stronger headwinds, reported Ben Chapman. With enrollment plummeting across the district, some charter networks have recently announced closures while others have stopped submitting proposals for new campuses. 鈥淣ow, particularly in L.A., our focus is not on growing,鈥� said Joanna Belcher, chief impact officer for KIPP SoCal. 

Florida Students Seize on Parental Rights to Stop Educators from Hitting Kids

By Mark Keierleber 

Late last year, Florida senior Brooklynn Daniels was called to the principal鈥檚 office and spanked with a wooden paddle 鈥渢hat was thick like a chapter book.鈥� Like in many enclaves that dot the Florida panhandle, Liberty County permits corporal punishment as a form of student discipline. But her flogging, the honors student said, went much further: She alleged sexual assault and filed a police report, reported Mark Keierleber. Daniels joined a student-led movement to change Florida law that has latched onto the GOP-led parental rights movement. 

Interactive: See How Student Achievement Gaps Are Growing in Your State

By Chad Aldeman

In 2012, then-President Barack Obama freed states from the accountability provisions of No Child Left Behind in exchange for reforms related to standards, assessments and teacher evaluations. That relaxing of school and district accountability pressures corresponded with a decline in student performance across the country that is still being felt 鈥� achievement gaps are growing across subjects and all across the country. To illustrate these alarming discrepancies, contributor Chad Aldeman and Eamonn Fitzmaurice, 蜜桃影视鈥檚 art and technology director, created an interactive tool that enables you to see what’s happening with student performance in your state.

Left Powerless: Non-English鈥揝peaking Parents Denied Vital Translation Services

by Amanda Geduld

Flouting federal laws, K-12 public schools routinely fail to provide qualified interpreters to non-English-speaking families. Parents must instead rely on Google translate, their own kid or a bilingual staff member who isn鈥檛 a trained interpreter for issues as simple as their child鈥檚 absence for a day or as complex and intimidating as a special education meeting or a school disciplinary hearing. The problem is pervasive and vastly underreported, experts told Amanda Geduld. School leaders say they are trying their best, but lack the money and staffing to meet the need. 

Failed West Virginia Microschool Fuels State Probe and Some Soul-Searching

By Linda Jacobson

The West Virginia treasurer鈥檚 investigation into a microschool, funded with education savings accounts, offers a glimpse into an emerging market that has mushroomed since the pandemic. When the program shut down after a few months, parents were left demanding their money back and scrambling to find other arrangements for their children. The example, experts say, shows that it takes more than good intentions to provide a quality education program. As one parent told Linda Jacobson, 鈥淚 should have seen the red flags.鈥�

In the Rush to Covid Recovery, Did We Forget About Our Youngest Learners?

by Lauren Camera

The country鈥檚 youngest elementary school students suffered steep academic setbacks in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic 鈥� just like students in older grades. But new research shows that they aren鈥檛 catching back up to pre-pandemic levels in reading and math the way older students are. And when it comes to math, many are falling even further behind. 鈥淲e were shocked when we first saw the data,鈥� Kristen Huff, vice president of assessment and research at Curriculum Associates, told Lauren Camera.

Jam茅e Maiden, a 13-year-old eighth grader at William W. Hall Academy in Prince George鈥檚 County, said she was allowed to use her cell phone at certain times during the school day last school year.

Not this school year.

鈥淚 feel like they help in class for certain things like research. If some people don鈥檛 have computers, it is easier to access,鈥� she said.

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for 蜜桃影视 Newsletter

Prince George鈥檚 and Maryland鈥檚 23 other school districts have various cell phone policies, but phones must be turned off during instructional time.

While some states have started moving toward statewide policies on cell phones, Maryland is not there. Some districts this year allow middle and high school students to use them at lunch or during 鈥渋nstructional鈥� time at the discretion of an administrator or teacher. Other districts allow high schoolers to use them in transition between various classes.

Montgomery County officials are working on an 鈥渁way all day鈥� volunteer pilot program that would require students in participating schools to not use their cell phones during the school day.

Liliana L贸pez, a public information officer in the county, wrote in an email Friday that the deadline for schools to sign up was on Labor Day. The list is still being finalized, she wrote.

State Superintendent Carey Wright used one word several times during a recent interview on cell phone policies: balance.

Wright said officials in her department are gathering information on cell phone policies in other states and may present it to the state Board of Education soon.

鈥淭here are a lot of districts looking at how do we structure a cell phone policy that gives time away from the cell phones to focus on instruction,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a balance that you have to find between what鈥檚 good for children, what鈥檚 good for instruction and what鈥檚 good for families. It鈥檚 not an easy thing to do.鈥�

Wright said an example of a good balance of cell phone usage could be allowing a certain time to students to access them during noninstructional time, and then put them in pouches.

鈥淪ome of the school systems are developing schedules to do that,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e in school to learn. If this is interfering with the learning process, that鈥檚 where schools are wanting a stricter use of it during the school day.鈥�

At least two school districts implemented pilot programs for cell phone pouches.

Middle school students in Caroline County must turn their phones off and place them in . However, they are allowed to remain with students throughout the school day.

In Baltimore County this school year, 16 middle and high schools are part of a pilot program for students to tuck their cell phones away in pouches. Last school year, some middle schools required students to place their cell phones in boxes when they entered a classroom.

Kimberly Sloane, who鈥檚 in her seventh year as president of the Allegany County Education Association, would like for her jurisdiction to possibly approve a similar pouch policy.

Right now, Sloane said student cell phone use in class is mainly decided by teachers.

She recalled teaching a high school social studies class seven years ago when a mother called her daughter during class.

鈥淔rom the things I hear it has worsened. It is just not the appropriate time and space for them to have,鈥� Sloane said Thursday. 鈥淪tudents have technology available with iPads and other computers during the school day. There is technology in the school for students to use.鈥�

鈥楽ocial media is a distraction鈥�

According to a survey released in June, one-third of kindergarten through 12th grade teachers say cell phone distraction is a major problem. The percentage increases to 72% of high school teachers who claim it鈥檚 a problem in their classrooms.

The Florida legislature was the first in the nation to last year to ban cell phone usage by students during class. It can only be done when a teacher allows it for educational purposes.

Just this summer, state lawmakers in Louisiana and South Carolina approved similar statewide restrictions.

In neighboring Virgina, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) signed an executive order in July for the state Department of Education to issue guidelines for schools to establish cell-phone-free education. School districts there must adopt policies by January.

State legislators in Ohio, Indian and Minnesota approved policies that recommend school districts to create similar cell phone policies.

All those states provide exceptions for special needs students with an Individualized Education Program, or a 504 plan, which requires reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.

Annette Anderson, assistant professor and deputy director of Johns Hopkins University鈥檚 Center for Safe and Healthy Schools, said policies should be more 鈥渘uanced鈥� to ensure parents, the community and educators are part of ongoing conversations to maintain and improve student achievement.

For instance, she said some students may need cell phones to connect with parents to look after younger siblings or assist their parents who may not be able to work.

鈥淚 think that this brings up a need for more conversation in PTAs, and back-to-school nights and other venues where family engagement is a conversation that families and school staff can really talk about the pros and the cons of this,鈥� said Anderson, a parent with two children who attend Baltimore City public schools.

Anderson, a former school administrator, said she supports school districts that allow students to bring their cell phones in school, but that disabling social media sites such as TikTok or Instagram during the school day would benefit educators and students.

Several Maryland filed a lawsuit last year against Google, Meta, ByteDance and Snap Inc. for targeting and manipulating youth.

鈥淚 would probably come down on the side of advanced technology that allows students to use their phones, but disable social media,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淲e have to have a way that those programs can be disabled during the school hours. Social media is a distraction.鈥�

Jam茅e Maiden鈥檚 mother, Phyllis Wright, said students don鈥檛 need to use their cell phones during the school day. But the recent in Georgia and in Harford County are why Wright wants her daughter to still have a cell phone in school.

鈥淲e never know what might happen,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淚 would rather my child to have a phone than not have one.鈥�

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: editor@marylandmatters.org. Follow Maryland Matters on and .

Warner Public Schools has scored among the top schools in the state ever since, consistently earning A鈥檚 and B鈥檚 on annual state report cards.

Superintendent David Vinson said the cellphone ban has been integral to Warner鈥檚 academic success. He said the zero-tolerance policy removed distractions from the classroom, cut down on bullying and discipline issues, and encouraged students to build camaraderie face-to-face.

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for 蜜桃影视 Newsletter

鈥淚 think if you ask our teaching staff 鈥� and I鈥檓 confident in saying this because they say it all the time to me 鈥� they feel like our cellphone policy is a huge and vital part of what makes us successful,鈥� Vinson said.

More districts across the state, including some of Oklahoma鈥檚 largest, are following suit this school year with tighter restrictions or outright bans on student cellphone use.

The trend extends nationwide. About 76% of all U.S. public schools, including 43% of high schools, prohibit non-academic use of cellphones, according to .

Tulsa Public Schools, which has the highest enrollment in Oklahoma, doubled down on its existing policy this year, forbidding elementary and middle school students from using cellphones, smart watches or headphones for the entire school day. Tulsa high school students must turn off and put away these devices during class time.

鈥淲e needed to ensure that our students and families know that we鈥檙e going to remove every distraction that we can remove so that they can be fully focused on academics,鈥� Tulsa Superintendent Ebony Johnson said.

Bixby Public Schools, with 7,900 students south of Tulsa, announced a similar policy this year, citing a 鈥渟ignificant rise in cyberbullying, sharing of inappropriate content, unauthorized recordings, loss of academic focus, safety concerns and diminished social interaction.鈥�

Union Public Schools, the ninth largest district in the state, added its ninth-grade center to the list of schools with an 鈥渙ff and away all day鈥� requirement for cellphone devices. Middle schools in the southeast Tulsa district already enforced the rule.

School cellphone bans discussed at state Capitol

State lawmakers have considered ways to incentivize more school cellphone bans.

Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, filed to offer grants of $100,000 to $1 million to schools that implement a phone-free campus policy. The bill never made it out of the Senate, but Pugh, who leads the chamber鈥檚 Education Committee, said he intends to file similar legislation again.

Pugh said he鈥檚 heard from some teachers and district officials who would support a statewide ban on cellphones in public schools. Doing so could take pressure off of local school officials who might face fierce pushback from their community if they were to implement the policy on their own, he said.

鈥淚 love the fact that schools are taking this upon themselves to figure out because I really think it鈥檚 that important,鈥� Pugh said. 鈥淭his is a hard thing to do.鈥�

The reason the Warner district has been able to maintain its zero-tolerance policy is by having top-to-bottom support, said Vinson, the district superintendent. Teachers, principals, district administrators and the school board have all backed the no-cellphone rule and ensure it鈥檚 enforced consistently.

鈥淵ou have to have board support,鈥� Vinson said. 鈥淚f your policy dies at board support, you鈥檙e done.鈥�

Discipline for violations vary

The punishment for breaking the rule varies by district.

In Warner, students caught with a phone have the device confiscated for a calendar week, or they can opt for a three-day out-of-school suspension. A second offense comes with a two-week confiscation or a five-day out-of-school suspension. Vinson said no student in Warner has ever broken the rule a third time.

Tulsa鈥檚 policy doesn鈥檛 involve confiscating phones, said Johnson, the district鈥檚 superintendent. Teachers will give warnings to put phones away, and if a student doesn鈥檛 comply, the school will call home to notify the child鈥檚 family.

Enforcing a cellphone ban might be harder in large schools, Vinson said, because of the sheer number of students to keep track of. He said it was easier to implement the rule a decade ago, when far fewer students had cellphones, especially among younger grades.

But, Vinson said it鈥檚 still worth trying 鈥� each school in its own unique way.

鈥淚 think to be successful educationally you have to find a way to remove the cellphones from your educational environment,鈥� he said.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on and .

COLUMBIA 鈥� South Carolina school districts must ban students from using their cellphones during the entire school day, but exactly how they go about it is up to district officials, according to the state Board of Education passed Tuesday.

At the very least, districts must require students to keep their phones and connected devices, such as smartwatches, turned off and in their backpacks or lockers from the time the first bell rings in the morning until the dismissal bell in the afternoon, according to the state policy.

But the state board said districts can decide whether to enact sterner rules, as well as the consequences for violating them.

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for 蜜桃影视 Newsletter

Districts that do not put a policy in place that is at least as strict as the one the state board passed Tuesday could lose their state funding.

鈥淲e鈥檙e saying, 鈥楾his is what state law says, and so you鈥檝e got to implement it,鈥� but we are leaving a lot of discretion, a lot of latitude, to districts on how exactly they do it,鈥� board member Christian Hanley said.

The decision follows a clause the Legislature included in the state spending plan requiring the state board to create a policy prohibiting cellphones for K-12 students in the state鈥檚 public schools. The specifics, legislators left up to the board, which in turn left many of the details to local school boards.

Although state board members supported the idea of banning cellphones in schools, they said they worried about unintended consequences of the new policy, such as putting another task on overworked teachers, increasing the number of out-of-school suspensions or cutting students off from their parents during emergencies.

鈥淚mplementation of such a policy over a school day scares me,鈥� said board chair David O鈥橲hields. 鈥淲hy? Because once we create this policy, it is the requirement of every district to follow suit, and there is the law of unintended consequences, and it frightens me.鈥�

School boards will to put in place a policy at least as strict as the one the state board enacted, according to a memo the department sent to superintendents in June. District must submit those policies to the department to ensure compliance.

The state board, which passed the policy 15-1, added a stipulation that districts must report back about how implementation went in case the board finds a need to adjust its policy ahead of next school year.

鈥淎ll of these things look good, but just because it looks good doesn鈥檛 mean it is good.鈥� O鈥橲hields said.

The policy

In the state policy, the board did decide lunch and other breaks should be considered part of the school day, meaning students must leave their cell phones stowed away during those times.

Districts may choose to take it further telling students not to bring their devices to school at all. Or they can buy lockable pouches to store them. Some may also decide to include bus rides, field trips or athletic events as times when students can not access their phones, according to the policy.

The policy also leaves room for exceptions.

If students have an assignment they cannot complete on school-provided devices, districts can allow students to keep their phones with them to use as part of their classwork.

Students with disabilities who need access to phones or tablets to learn would still be allowed to use the devices. And students with certain outside jobs, such as volunteer firefighters, can seek a written exception from their superintendent to use their phone during the day, according to the policy.

Enforcement also will largely be up to school districts. The policy requires 鈥渄isciplinary enforcement procedures,鈥� with increasing consequences for repeat offenders, but it doesn鈥檛 specify what that means.

State board members did discourage using out-of-school suspension as punishment for violating the policy. Taking a student out of school because they are breaking a rule meant to keep them focused on their classwork feels counterintuitive, said state Superintendent Ellen Weaver.

鈥淭he whole idea behind this policy is that we want students in classrooms getting instruction,鈥� Weaver told reporters. 鈥淭aking students out of that instructional space really doesn鈥檛 make a whole lot of sense as far as I鈥檓 concerned.鈥�

Still, different situations may warrant different punishments, so board members wanted to leave that decision up to the districts, said board member David Mathis.

Timing

Some board members felt they did not have enough time to create the policy.

Board member Beverly Frierson was the sole 鈥渘o鈥� vote, not because she disagreed with it but because she thought the board was too rushed to give the policy the consideration it needed, she said.

O鈥橲hields, the board chair, worried teachers may have to spend too much time policing cellphones. Still, he agreed some kind of action was necessary.

鈥淚 know we need control, and there is an addiction, no doubt,鈥� O鈥橲hields said.

The policy has support from legislators, teachers鈥� advocates and Gov. Henry McMaster. Since 2020, McMaster has included this clause in his state budget recommendations. This was the first time legislators agreed to put it in the final plan.

鈥淭he research is clear,鈥� McMaster wrote in a letter to the board Tuesday. 鈥淩emoving access to personal electronic devices during the school day improves student academic performance and removes distractions that exacerbate anxiety among our adolescents.鈥�

鈥淥ur responsibility is to create an environment where teachers can teach, and students can learn,鈥� the letter continued.

In a statewide survey the education department conducted, 55% of teachers and administrators who responded said they supported a total ban on cellphones during the school day. Another 37% said they wanted students to have limited access during class time, with the chance to check their phones between classes or at lunch.

Along with being distracting while students are trying to learn, phones can erode their social skills and encourage bullying, Weaver said.

鈥淚 think the dividend that we will see this pay for schools and for our students鈥� future will be worth it in the end,鈥� Weaver said.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. SC Daily Gazette maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seanna Adcox for questions: info@scdailygazette.com. Follow SC Daily Gazette on and .

Public school districts across Arkansas are expected to be able to lock up students鈥� cell phones during school hours, with the state Department of Education distributing $7 million to pay for pouches or lockers.

The Arkansas Legislative Council will take up the restricted reserve fund request Friday after the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review subcommittee approved it Monday on a voice vote with some dissent.

鈥淭his initiative seeks to foster a phone-free environment, enabling an evaluation of its impact on student learning, engagement, and overall student health,鈥� Department of Education Chief Fiscal Officer Greg Rogers wrote to Department of Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson requesting the funds.

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for 蜜桃影视 Newsletter

The phone restriction initiative is part of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Education Secretary Jacob Oliva announced in July. The program will also provide grant funding for telehealth mental health services and support for locating mental health providers and navigating insurance matters, .

Cell phone policies at Arkansas schools vary among districts and individual classrooms. While some teachers collect phones at the start of instructional time, others allow students to access their devices after completing assignments.

The $7 million allocation is an estimate of the cost of the locking devices based on the number of students in the roughly 180 school districts that have applied to participate in the pilot program, said Courtney Salas-Ford, the education department鈥檚 chief of staff.

School districts rather than the state would be responsible for replacing the devices, but metal lockers and magnetically-sealed cloth pouches 鈥渉ave a very long life expectancy,鈥� Salas-Ford said.

The pouches from , a California-based company with the goal of creating 鈥減hone-free spaces,鈥� can be locked and unlocked by separate unlocking devices kept under the supervision of adults while students keep the pouches with them at all times. , the De Queen School District approved the use of the pouches for middle school and junior high students as part of its participation in the pilot program.

Sanders has repeatedly advocated for reducing social media use among teenagers, citing concerns about depression and suicide rates.

鈥淥ur country has been experimenting with unregulated smartphone use for more than a decade, and unfortunately the results have been absolutely devastating for our young people,鈥� Sanders said at at Bentonville鈥檚 Ardis Ann Middle School.

Bentonville West High School piloted a program last year that required cell phones to be silenced and stored during class. Bentonville School District Director of Communications Leslee Wright said in July that the initiative was a 鈥渞emarkable success,鈥� with 86% of staff reporting a positive impact. Administrators also recorded a 57% reduction in verbal or physical aggression offenses and a 51% reduction in drug-related offenses, she said.

YONDR CEO Graham Dugoni attended the press conference, which marked the start of the pilot program a month after it was announced.

鈥淥ne of the things he said that really stuck with me [is] this isn鈥檛 about taking anything away,鈥� Sanders said. 鈥淭his is about giving students the freedom to enjoy a phone-free education.鈥�

As part of the pilot program, the University of Arkansas鈥� Office for Education Policy will examine how students鈥� mental health may be impacted by reduced access to cell phones and social media. A smaller group of districts from the pilot program will participate in the UA study.

In May, Sanders sent a copy of Jonathan Haidt鈥檚 book, The Anxious Generation, to all state and territorial governors in America, as well as Arkansas legislators. According to the July press release, she expressed support for four main goals: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more outdoor play and childhood independence.

Proposals to reduce smartphone use have been gaining traction across the country, including in , , .

that Sanders championed would have been the first in the nation to require minors to receive parental permission before signing up for a social media account. A federal judge last August, hours before it was set to take effect.

Arkansas lawmakers might introduce legislation in January requiring all districts to lock up students鈥� phones during the school day, House Speaker Pro Tempore Jon Eubanks, R-Paris, said during Monday鈥檚 PEER meeting.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com. Follow Arkansas Advocate on and .

Virginia will soon establish guidance to restrict or eliminate student cell phone use during instructional time at school.

On Tuesday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33, which directs his administration to 鈥渉eed the call鈥� of parents, public health professionals, educators and others by establishing cell phone-free policies and procedures for school divisions, in light of growing concerns over children鈥檚 health and declines in academic performance.

The Virginia Department of Education, in collaboration with the Departments of Health and Health and Human Services, must clearly define what 鈥渃ell phone-free education鈥� means, and publish model plans and draft guidance on implementing in Virginia鈥檚 K-12 schools on its website by Aug. 15, according to the governor鈥檚 directive.

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for 蜜桃影视 Newsletter

The directive will establish 鈥渢he clear goal to protect the health and safety of our students by limiting the amount of time they are exposed to 鈥渁ddictive鈥� cell phones and social media and eliminating 鈥渃lear distractions鈥� in the classroom, Youngkin said in a statement.

The governor added that $500,000 in existing funds allocated to the Departments of Education and Behavioral Health and Development Services will be made available to implement the initiative.

According to the governor鈥檚 office, the funds will support state and local efforts to facilitate family nights and community engagement events to combat youth mental health challenges, and provide microgrants for school divisions to help implement cell phone best practices in their communities.

As part of the policies鈥� development, the departments will be required to hold listening sessions seeking public input on 鈥渁ge-appropriate cell phone-free education policies and procedures, gather feedback on best practices currently underway in Virginia public schools, and receive input for the draft guidance,鈥� the governor鈥檚 executive order reads.

The departments are slated to release the final guidance by Sept. 16 of this year. The order directs school boards to adopt the policies by Jan. 1, 2025, or before.

Youngkin鈥檚 order cites American Psychological Association that suggests adolescents who spend over three hours on social media daily have double the risk of poor mental health. The order also references studies showing that children spend about 4.8 hours a day on social media, and that students who use their phones during class learn less and earn lower grades.

鈥淭herefore, creating a cell phone-free education environment in public schools is not only a prudent measure but an essential one to promote a healthier and more focused educational environment where every child is free to learn,鈥� Youngkin directive states.

Some of Virginia鈥檚 school boards have already begun banning or restricting cell phone use in schools. empowering local boards to institute such prohibitions on cellphones and other 鈥渉andheld communication devices鈥� during regular school hours died last session.

James Fedderman, president of the Virginia Education Association, said in a statement that the organization recognizes the mounting worries over how cell phones impact students in classrooms and thinks it鈥檚 鈥渆ssential鈥� to approach the issue with 鈥渁 nuanced perspective that considers the real-world needs of our students and teachers.鈥�

Fedderman, whose organization is the largest educator advocacy group in the state, went on to urge the Virginia Department of Education to engage with educators to develop balanced guidelines 鈥渢hat support effective teaching and learning while also addressing legitimate concerns about distractions.鈥�

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com. Follow Virginia Mercury on and .