As school districts in Southwest Florida continue to wrangle with how to deal with student cell phones during school hours, I would like to share the positive results we have seen so far concerning students’ mental health and academic performance at The Village School of Naples.
At the end of the 2021-22 school year, we reviewed the mental health data we collected pertaining to the number of students requiring direct interventions to support them through their challenges. Not surprisingly, those students’ academic achievement also declined.
Upon careful examination, the consistent issues evident in every situation were the lack of belonging and connection due to heavy reliance on electronic devices.
We also tracked the data of well-adjusted and academically successful students and found that they participated in either athletics or the arts programs at school and interacted with one another during the school day with much less emphasis on cell phone use.
While many people have proposed that technology makes students more connected, direct observations and anecdotal data indicate quite the opposite on campus. Therefore, we created two policies to improve students’ well-being and academic achievement.
The first policy requires all students to participate in a sport or arts program. The second policy bans mobile phone use during the school day. Not surprisingly, this was an unpopular decision, and many were unhappy with it.
Nevertheless, the policies remained, and there was an almost instantaneous change on campus. Students were once again eating and talking with one another at tables instead of being focused on their phones. It was truly incredible and the effects were almost immediately seen in the decrease of mental health and behavioral issues.
The data after two years with these policies in place indicate tremendous success. Students’ mental wellbeing has improved by 94 percent as measured in the amount of mental health interventions required and academic achievement has increased significantly as measured in standardized test scores. There are several aspects related to this important and timely topic:
· Impact on Mental Health and Counseling Needs: An increase in smartphone use among students has correlated with heightened anxiety, decreased attention spans and greater reliance on virtual interactions. Banning smartphones could potentially reduce students’ need for counseling by limiting distractions and sources of stress, such as social media and constant connectivity.
· Reduction in Bullying: Smartphones can be a conduit for cyberbullying. Their presence in schools makes it easier for bullying to continue uninterrupted throughout the school day. Banning smartphones could lead to a significant reduction in bullying incidents.
· Academic Improvements: Numerous studies suggest smartphone distractions can undermine students’ ability to concentrate on academic tasks. Removing these devices from the school setting could enhance focus and increase classroom engagement, thereby improving academic performance. This shift also may encourage better study habits and more direct interaction with educational content.
· Differential Impact on Gender: The observation that girls may benefit the most from the absence of smartphones in schools could stem from differences in how genders use technology. Girls might engage more in social media, focusing greatly on outward appearance and acceptance, which has been linked to higher rates of depression and anxiety.
· Observations from School Settings: Anecdotal evidence from school settings supports banning smartphones. For example, during lunch and other downtimes, students without phone access are more likely to engage in face-to-face interactions, enhancing their social skills and reducing feelings of isolation or exclusion.
· Challenges with Policy Enforcement: Students who attempt to circumvent smartphone bans are often those who struggle most with social, behavioral, and academic issues. Addressing these challenges requires more than just enforcing rules; it calls for understanding the underlying issues these students face and providing them with the necessary support to overcome these hurdles.
At The Village School of Naples, the results of the policy decisions made two years ago provide evidence enough for my team and I to continue to fully support them as we strive to provide the healthiest and most positive environment for our students to be successful.
Nikki Sweeney is Head of Upper School and Assistant Head of School for The Village School of Naples, an AP Platinum rated independent Christian school serving PK3 through 12th grade.
