Do phone bans in schools work? Kind of.

A new National Bureau of Economic Research study covering students at thousands of schools between 2019 and 2025 found that requiring students to keep their phones in locked Yondr pouches during the day reduced phone use and had a positive long-term impact on well-being, the New York Times reports. However, the researchers said they found “no evidence” of overall impact on test scores, classroom attention, or perceived online bullying. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. A free daily digest of the news that matters most. The Verge is a part of PMX Global, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Media Corporation. © 2026 VM Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Sign in to see your notifications or create an account to join the conversation.