In Florida, in elementary and middle schools, from bell to bell, recently sailed through the state Legislature.

Gov. Ron聽聽on May 30, 2025. The same bill calls for high schools in six Florida districts to adopt the ban during the upcoming school year and produce a report on its effectiveness by Dec. 1, 2026.

But in the debate over whether phones in K-12 schools 鈥� and 鈥� .

We are experts in and who in Florida in November and December 2024 to learn how they鈥檙e using digital media and the role tech plays in their lives at home and at school. Their responses were insightful 鈥� and occasionally surprising.

Adults generally cite four reasons to ban phone use during school: to improve kids鈥� mental health, to strengthen academic outcomes, to reduce and to help limit kids鈥� overall screen time.

But as our survey shows, it may be a bit much to expect a cellphone ban to accomplish all of that.

What do kids want?

Some of the questions in our survey shine light on kids鈥� feelings toward banning cellphones 鈥� even though we didn鈥檛 ask that question directly.

We asked them if they feel relief when they鈥檙e in a situation where they can鈥檛 use their smartphone, and 31% said yes.

Additionally, 34% of kids agreed with the statement that social media causes more harm than good.

And kids were 1.5 to 2 times more likely to agree with those statements if they attended schools where phones are banned or confiscated for most of the school day, with use only permitted at certain times. That group covered 70% of the students we surveyed because many individual schools or in Florida have already limited students鈥� cellphone use.

How students use cellphones matters

Some 鈥減ower users鈥� of cellphone apps could likely use a break from them.

Twenty percent of children we surveyed said 鈥� that is, notifications from apps that pop up on the phone鈥檚 screen 鈥� are never turned off. These notifications are likely coming from the most popular apps kids reported using, like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.

This 20% of children was roughly three times more likely to report experiencing anxiety than kids who rarely or never have their notifications on.

They were also nearly five times more likely to report earning mostly D鈥檚 and F鈥檚 in school than kids whose notifications are always or sometimes off.

Our survey results also suggest phone bans would likely have positive effects on grades and mental health among some of the heaviest screen users. For example, 22% of kids reported using their favorite app for six or more hours per day. These students were three times more likely to report earning mostly D鈥檚 and F鈥檚 in school than kids who spend an hour or less on their favorite app each day.

They also were six times more likely than hour-or-less users to report severe depression symptoms. These insights remained even after ruling out numerous other possible explanations for the difference 鈥� like age, household income, gender, parent鈥檚 education, race and ethnicity.

Banning students鈥� access to phones at school means these kids would not receive notifications for at least that seven-hour period and have fewer hours in the day to use apps.

Phones and mental health

However, other data we collected suggests that bans aren鈥檛 a universal benefit for all children.

Seventeen percent of kids who attend schools that ban or confiscate phones report severe depression symptoms, compared with just 4% among kids who keep their phones with them during the school day.

This finding held even after we ruled out other potential explanations for what we were seeing, such as the type of school students attend and other demographic factors.

We are not suggesting that our survey shows phone bans cause mental health problems.

It is possible, for instance, that the schools where kids already were struggling with their mental health simply happened to be the ones that have banned phones. Also, our survey didn鈥檛 ask kids how long phones have been banned at their schools. If the bans just launched, there may be positive effects on mental health or grades yet to come.

In order to get a better sense of the bans鈥� effects on mental health, we would need to examine mental health indicators before and after phone bans.

To get a long-term view on this question, we are planning to do a nationwide survey of digital media use and mental health, starting with 11- to 13-year-olds and tracking them into adulthood.

Even with the limitations of our data from this survey, however, we can conclude that banning phones in schools is unlikely to be an immediate solution to mental health problems of kids ages 11-13.

Grades up, cyberbullying down

Students at schools where phones are barred or confiscated didn鈥檛 report earning higher grades than children at schools where kids keep their phones.

This finding held for students at both private and public schools, and even after ruling out other possible explanations like differences in gender and household income, since .

There are limits to our findings here: Grades are not a perfect measure of learning, and they鈥檙e not standardized across schools. It鈥檚 possible that kids at phone-free schools are in fact learning more than those at schools where kids carry their phones around during school hours 鈥� even if they earn the same grades.

We asked kids how often in the past three months they鈥檇 experienced mistreatment online 鈥� like being called hurtful names or having lies or rumors spread about them. Kids at schools where phone use is limited during school hours actually reported enduring more cyberbullying than children at schools with less restrictive policies. This result persisted even after we considered smartphone ownership and numerous demographics as possible explanations.

We are not necessarily saying that cellphone bans cause an increase in cyberbullying. What could be at play here is that at schools where cyberbullying has been particularly bad, phones have been banned or are confiscated, and online bullying still occurs.

But based on our survey results, it does not appear that school phone bans prevent cyberbullying.

Overall, our findings suggest that banning phones in schools may not be an easy fix for students鈥� mental health problems, poor academic performance or cyberbullying.

That said, kids might benefit from phone-free schools in ways that we have not explored, like increased attention spans or reduced eyestrain.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

FutureEd analyzed speeches from 41 governors to identify states’ education agendas for the coming year, highlighting common themes, bipartisan commitments and partisan divides. Across party lines, governors remained committed to investing in public education, with many proposing increased K-12 funding and efforts to modernize school finance formulas to better support high-need students. Alongside these general financial commitments, governors prioritized strengthening the teaching profession, addressing youth mental health, restricting cellphone use and expanding career pathways for high schoolers. 

Still, few governors proposed new steps to directly improve student learning. Some emphasized efforts to raise academic standards and strengthen accountability, topics absent in recent years. But this year鈥檚 speeches largely sidelined new curriculum initiatives, perhaps because many states have enacted reforms in that area 鈥� particularly in literacy 鈥� in recent years. Mentions of academic acceleration programs that were widely supported during the pandemic but now face an uncertain future as federal ESSER funds expire were also rare. These include high-dosage tutoring, afterschool and summer enrichment. Some governors argued that their school choice initiatives would improve student outcomes. 

School choice remained a key point of division, with several Republican governors advocating for more private options that Democrats opposed. Ideological divides also resurfaced on race and gender 鈥� topics largely absent from speeches in recent years 鈥� as a few Republicans called for banning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, restricting transgender participation in sports and opposing what they described as 鈥渋ndoctrination鈥� and 鈥渨oke agendas鈥� in education.

Here is a summary of the major education proposals in the governors’ addresses (click on each state in the interactive maps below): 

Student Well-Being

One of the most popular topics this year was student well-being, with a focus on mental health, technology use, school meals and safety. While youth mental health remains a top concern 鈥� highlighted by 15 governors 鈥� many are shifting from traditional investments in counseling and school-based services to restrictions on cellphones and social media.

Concerns over technology鈥檚 impact on student mental health are growing. As Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders noted in her annual address, 鈥淪uicide rates among teens have tripled, self-harm among girls has risen by nearly 200%, and depression among teenagers has increased by 150%. The culprit is clear: unrestricted access to phones and social media.鈥� Huckabee Sanders and the leaders of at least 12 other states, mostly Republican-led, proposed bans on phones in schools, with most citing mental and behavioral health concerns. Governors also pushed for stronger internet safety measures and social media restrictions.

In New York, Democrat Kathy Hochul has taken a different approach with her “Unplug and Play” initiative, which expands outdoor and extracurricular opportunities to reduce children’s reliance on social media. She also called for shielding students from the risks posed by artificial intelligence. 

While cell phone and social media restrictions have gained some bipartisan traction, major investments in school-based mental health are largely a Democratic priority this year. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, for example, proposed nearly $300 million to expand mental health services, including suicide-prevention programs and educator training.

To address students鈥� nutritional needs, Democratic governors in Maine, Kansas, New York and Wisconsin proposed expanding free school meals. On the Republican side, Huckabee Sanders introduced the Buy Local Act to encourage schools to purchase their food in state and proposed using medical marijuana revenue for meal funding, and North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong pledged to expand his state鈥檚 Farm-to-School program. 

Governors from six states 鈥� Indiana, Georgia, Texas, Missouri, New Mexico and South Carolina 鈥� proposed school safety efforts. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun plans to establish an Office of School Safety, Gov. Henry McMaster wants to fund school resource officers in every South Carolina school and Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is pursuing legislation requiring regular safety planning meetings and incident reporting.

School Choice

School choice remains a key topic this year, with 15 governors addressing the issue. While initiatives to let families use public money for private schooling dominated the discussion, several governors proposed expanding public-school choice, sometimes alongside private-school initiatives.

Proposals largely followed party lines. Nine Republican governors advocated for expanding education savings accounts and other private school-choice initiatives. McMaster aims to pass new ESA legislation and allocate $30 million after the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled the state’s previous program unconstitutional.

Braun seeks to make private school choice available to every student in Indiana, while Kehoe proposes adding $50 million in state funding to supplement a tax credit-funded ESA program. Virginia鈥檚 Glenn Youngkin is requesting $50 million for 鈥淥pportunity Scholarships鈥� for low-income families, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is renewing his push for a long-debated universal school choice measure. 

In the wake of widespread criticism of Arizona鈥檚 costly education savings account program and its lack of transparency on spending and student performance, some Republicans emphasized stronger oversight and protections for public school funding in their proposals. Idaho鈥檚 Brad Little stressed the need for a 鈥渇air, responsible, transparent and accountable鈥� approach that prioritizes families in need without diverting funds from public schools. Governors in South Dakota and Virginia also emphasized safeguarding public school resources.

Meanwhile, three Democratic governors 鈥� Arizona鈥檚 Katie Hobbs, Kansas鈥檚 Laura Kelly and Kentucky鈥檚 Andy Beshear 鈥� expressed opposition to using public funds for private education. Hobbs is once again seeking to add guardrails to Arizona鈥檚 universal ESA program, which was enacted by her Republican predecessor. These include setting income caps and ensuring transparency in spending. Kelly and Beshear vowed to block new private school choice initiatives.

At the same time, six governors from both parties are pushing to expand public-school choice. Colorado鈥檚 Democratic Gov. Jared Polis voiced support for giving parents more options and making it easier for high-quality and innovative schools to open.

Republicans Joe Lombardo of Nevada and Kehoe supported allowing students to attend public schools outside their assigned attendance zone. Armstrong proposed a new policy that would allow charters to open in North Dakota.

Higher Education

Fifteen governors outlined higher education priorities focused on affordability, workforce alignment and alternative pathways. McMaster pledged to freeze in-state tuition for a sixth year and is seeking $80 million in financial aid to ensure all eligible students receive state assistance. Hochul proposed free community college for New York students entering high-demand fields like advanced manufacturing, education and health care.

Several states are expanding access through alternative postsecondary pathways. Huckabee Sanders launched the ACCESS initiative, which, among other things, will expand scholarships to include associate degrees and non-degree programs, and fund college credits for high school students. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee plans to fund dual enrollment, allowing high school students to earn college credit. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is similarly focused on adding more dual-enrollment and 鈥渟tackable鈥� credentials. 

Huckabee Sanders and Abbott proposed banning DEI programs and preventing 鈥渋ndoctrination鈥� from professors. 鈥淲e must purge it from every corner of our schools and return the focus to merit,鈥� said Abbott of the state鈥檚 public universities.

Early Education and Child Care

Thirteen governors highlighted early childhood education and care, focusing on expanding access, improving affordability and addressing workforce challenges.

Democratic governors in New York, New Mexico and Kentucky promoted universal early childhood programs. Arizona Democrat Hobbs was among five state leaders from both parties who prioritized affordability, proposing the Working Families Child Care Act to lower the cost of care by two-thirds. Kehoe, a Republican, proposed a $10 million grant program to foster partnerships among Missouri employers, community organizations and child-care providers to expand access through collaborative solutions.

In Iowa, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds introduced a continuum-of-care initiative to integrate preschool and child-care services, offering grants to providers that coordinate resources like shared staffing and transportation.

Several state leaders also addressed child care workforce shortages. Gov. Bill Lee proposed expanding eligibility for Tennessee’s WAGES program that provides early childhood educators with annual salary supplements of up to $7,800 based on their education level, while Reynolds launched a statewide fund to encourage donations from individuals and businesses to support child care worker wages.

Workforce Development and Career Education

Twelve governors highlighted workforce development and career education, focusing on expanding high school career training, strengthening industry partnerships and aligning postsecondary programs with workforce needs. More than half of these efforts target K-12 students.

Several states are prioritizing career training in high schools. In Indiana, Braun plans to expand partnerships between employers and high schools, while Connecticut鈥檚 Lamont is expanding the state鈥檚 youth service corps, offering students internships or paid apprenticeships at local businesses. Lee seeks to double participation in Tennessee鈥檚 Youth Employment Program, making it year-round to provide meaningful work experience, particularly for underserved communities. Kehoe wants a $1 million investment to expand high school career counseling and launched the Governor鈥檚 Workforce of the Future Challenge to improve coordination among K-12 schools, businesses and colleges. Youngkin is expanding 鈥渓ab school鈥� partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities specializing in health care, coding, space, maritime industries and teaching.

Other governors are focusing on postsecondary workforce training. McMaster is requesting $95 million in lottery funds for Workforce Industry Needs Scholarships through South Carolina’s technical college system. Lee has proposed the Tennessee Works Scholarship, which would cover tuition, fees and essential resources for students at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. And McKee introduced Ready to Build, a career and technical education program at the Community College of Rhode Island, designed to create a pre-apprenticeship pathway into building trades jobs.

The Teaching Profession

A dozen governors discussed initiatives to improve the teaching profession, with most emphasizing higher teacher pay. Eight 鈥� primarily Republicans 鈥� proposed salary increases. McMaster accelerated the state鈥檚 plan to set a $50,000 minimum salary, moving the target from 2026 to this year. Braun aims to raise the minimum salary in Indiana by $5,000, bringing it to $45,000. 

At least two states are prioritizing pay increases for top-performing teachers. Abbott seeks to boost average teacher pay to a 鈥渞ecord high鈥� while expanding the state鈥檚 Teacher Incentive Allotment program, which allows top educators to earn six-figure salaries. Similarly, Nevada鈥檚 Lombardo plans to reward high-performing teachers through the Excellence in Education Fund under the Nevada Accountability in Education Act. Beshear was the only Democrat to mention teacher pay.

Democrats Lamont and Wes Moore of Maryland proposed expanding affordable, debt-free pathways into teaching through apprenticeships and other means. 

Student Learning 

Only 10 governors discussed curriculum and instruction initiatives for the upcoming year. Among them, Reynolds proposed one of the few major policy pushes: a comprehensive math bill aimed at identifying struggling students, providing personalized support and strengthening instruction through evidence-based professional development and high-quality teacher preparation.

Lombardo proposed the Nevada Accountability in Education Act, a comprehensive initiative that would, among other things, demand 鈥渟tricter accountability, equity and excellence鈥�, focus on literacy and direct resources to struggling schools. He didn鈥檛 detail how he planned to increase accountability for student results. 

Nevada is one of seven states, along with Oregon, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Michigan and Massachusetts, prioritizing standards and accountability this year. Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek committed to making school and district accountability a central focus of her 2025 agenda, proposing to increase transparency through a statewide, publicly accessible student information system, while Mississippi Republican Tate Reeves proposed raising academic standards and overhauling the state鈥檚 school grading system. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has proposed the Students, Metrics and Results with Transparency (SMART) plan, which would direct investments toward underperforming schools and improve transparency to better inform parents about student performance.

In Massachusetts, which recently eliminated its graduation assessment requirement, Democrat Maura Healey called for a Statewide Graduation Requirement Council to establish a new high standard. 鈥淪tudents, families and employers need to know what a diploma represents,鈥� she stated. 

Additionally, three Democratic governors emphasized investments in expanded learning time. McKee proposed $2.5 million in grants for out-of-school learning in Rhode Island, Kotek aims to continue funding summer programs and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wants to expand summer literacy initiatives. 

Meghan Gallagher of 社区黑料 developed the interactive maps. FutureEd Research Associate Tony Tao contributed to this analysis.