The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) announced that it will ban the use of personal cellphones in the classroom beginning in the fall to help refocus student attention on “academic excellence.”
In a June 6 press release, DCPS said that this means students’ phones must be turned off and stored away during the school day starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The school district has already implemented the ban across all middle schools and several of the district’s high schools, and said it has seen positive changes.
“Piloting a phone-free program in our middle schools demonstrated that storing students’ personal devices throughout the school day enriches academic, social, and emotional learning,” said DCPS Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee. “From increased classroom engagement to reduced anxiety and stronger student relationships – DCPS is ready to scale the program so we can keep driving outcomes that positively impact our students.”
DCPS explained that while technology provides learning opportunities, there are “significant challenges when it comes to cellphones being present in classrooms or readily accessible to students during the school day.”
The school district pointed to several drawbacks of having cellphones in the classroom, including youth mental health concerns, decreased concentration, and increased cyber bullying.
DCPS said it will continue to utilize school-issued devices to integrate technology into the classroom, including engaging students in lessons on digital literacy and citizenship.
“Individual schools will be responsible for shaping an approach to the policy that best fits the specific needs of their communities. School leaders will communicate implementation plans in the coming weeks,” the school district said.
The District of Columbia’s ban comes after several states have issued their own phone bans in schools, including Missouri, New York, Florida, and Iowa.
