One year in, here's how Kentucky schools are enforcing cell phone ban

To discourage cell phone use throughout the school day, Harvard-Westlake School collaborated with Opal, a program that blocks certain apps so that students can keep their phones on them without getting sucked into games or social media during class time. Opal created a new version of the tech for schools that allows administrators to see when students are logged in and any instances of users trying to get around the blocking settings.

Since instituting Yondr pouches, which keep phones locked away during the school day, students at Wilbur Cross High School say they feel more present and social with each other, and the library is even reporting an increase in books checked out compared to years past. But some concerns linger about equity when it comes to completing web-based assignments, particularly for students who don’t have laptops.

The Phoenix School of Discovery is an alternative school designed for students with learning and social challenges, with roughly half of students on an individualized education plan, or IEP. The school prioritizes hands-on learning, has multiple teachers in each classroom, and offers accommodations like sensory-friendly lighting and a space for “quiet lunch” for students who find the traditional cafeteria over-stimulating.

Small rural schools in New Hampshire achieved some of the state's highest reading scores by leveraging their size to create multi-grade classrooms, provide individualized support to all students, and build long-term student-teacher relationships. In result, these lower-income districts have outperformed expectations by the widest margins in the state.

To help keep track of students when they're out of the classroom and limit the disruption of breaks, Tucson-area schools are now usually digital hall passes that logs their departure point and destination with their student ID. Students and teachers say the new system is working well so far, though similar programs in other states have drawn concerns around data collection and privacy.

In an effort to better support its youngest learners, Mississippi implemented sweeping education reforms, including introducing a standardized “science of reading” curriculum, providing more teacher training and support with in-school literacy and math coaches, and holding back third-grade students who don’t meet their reading skills benchmarks. Over a decade, the number of students reading at grade level has climbed from 12 percent to 35 percent, and the state now ranks among the top ten nationally for fourth-grade reading scores.

At Camden Hills Regional High School, students line up as they enter the building to show that they’ve stowed their cell phones away in special locking pouches that keep the teenagers off their devices throughout the school day. Studies of similar phone bans in schools found that the phone-free environment can help reduce bullying, increase physical activity, and even impact some students’ GPAs.

To improve classroom engagement and prioritize student mental health, Montpelier High School and Main Street Middle School instituted cell phone bans that require students to turn in their phones to be locked away during the school day. Teachers report more participation in class while students say the ban has led them to socialize with their peers more during breaks, and the library has even seen an increase in books being checked out.

Facing a youth mental health crisis, some schools are using digital screening tools like BIMAS-2 and DESSA to identify students needing behavioral support. Districts in Green Bay and Alexandria report positive results, but widespread adoption meets resistance due to costs, parent concerns, and limited capacity for follow-up support.

Public schools in St. Paul, Minnesota, are installing geothermal systems to heat and cool buildings with energy harnessed from underground temperatures. The efficient, affordable energy source allows them to keep school buildings at a comfortable temperature during the increasingly warmer summer months.