Dive Brief:

• A U.K. study found that once cell phones were banned in schools, the test scores of 16-year-olds increased by 6.4% of a standard deviation, which The Conversation reports is the equivalent of adding five more school days to a year. 
• The study surveyed schools in the British cities of Birmingham, London, Leicester, and Manchester about cell phone policies since 2001 while also considering performance on national exams, according to the article.
• When the survey started, none of the schools had cell phone bans, but by 2007 50% did. By 2012, that number expanded to 98%. 

Dive Insight:

So how might this relate to the U.S.? Cell phone usage here is a hot topic. At the start of the new year, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio lifted a ban prohibiting students from bringing cell phones to school. Created by former mayor Michael Bloomberg, the policy was criticized by parents, who complained that it made it difficult to get in touch with students during emergencies and during the periods before and after school.

According to the New York Daily News, principal and teachers have ultimate discretion on how to enforce cell phone policies. The U.K. study would suggest these administrators should continue to be tough on cell phone usage.

This is, of course, a tough issue. While cell phones can cause distractions, and reportedly bring down test scores, they can also become one more minor offense that can have dire consequences. Having zero-tolerance for cell phones can shift the focus from academics to more petty behavioral issues, which ultimately, if enforced too tightly, can lead to students being pushed out of classrooms and even schools for minor offenses.