COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOWO)— Ohio public school students are beginning the first full school year under a statewide requirement restricting cell phone use from the start of the school day through its conclusion, as educators and researchers examine how the policy will work across more than 600 districts.

The restriction grew out of legislation first requiring Ohio school districts to establish cell phone policies in 2024. Lawmakers subsequently strengthened the requirement in the state budget, directing public school districts, community schools and STEM schools to prohibit students from using cell phones throughout the instructional day.

The statewide restriction took effect Jan. 1, meaning the 2026-27 academic year is the first full school year in which students across Ohio are operating under the expanded rules.

The policy covers more than classroom instruction. Students generally cannot use their phones during lunch, recess, passing periods or other supervised portions of the school day. Individual districts determine how devices are collected or stored and what consequences students face for violating their local policies. Schools can also extend restrictions to other electronic communication devices, including smartwatches.

There are exceptions under state law for certain educational purposes, medical needs, accommodations required under an individualized education program or 504 plan, and emergencies.

NBC4 reports that some Ohio schools saw early changes after implementing stricter phone policies, including students talking more during lunch, interacting more in hallways and remaining engaged in class for longer periods.

But education experts caution that the results may vary considerably from one school community to another.

Jacqueline Yahn, an associate professor of teacher education at Ohio University Eastern, said the statewide approach is supported by research and legal precedent, but its practical impact will depend on local circumstances.

Ohio’s school systems range from large urban districts to small rural communities, creating different challenges for implementing the same basic restriction. Yahn pointed to issues such as long bus rides and parents’ concerns about being able to reach their children during an emergency.

She said schools could monitor student well-being and peer relationships over time to determine whether limiting phone access produces measurable changes beyond classroom attention.

Research has associated heavier cell phone and recreational device use during the school day with poorer academic performance and increased feelings of loneliness. However, studies examining schoolwide restrictions have produced mixed findings about their broader effects.

Mary Rosser, an assistant professor at Capital University and former K-12 special education coordinator, said even brief phone-related distractions can accumulate and reduce the amount of time students spend learning.

“Missing a minute and then another minute and then another minute because you’re so worried about what’s going on socially, or just checking the weather, or just any of those different things that are happening, that’s loss of instruction,” Rosser told NBC4.

At the same time, Rosser said eliminating phones from classrooms does not by itself solve instructional or classroom-management problems.

One challenge is enforcement. If teachers are expected to repeatedly confront students over devices or handle disciplinary paperwork, Rosser said the policy could create another burden for educators.

“They don’t have time,” Rosser said. “They don’t have the time to write the referrals. … They don’t have the time to argue with a student to give them the phone.”

Medical accommodations are another consideration. Rosser cited students who may rely on phones to monitor conditions such as diabetes, emphasizing the need for districts to clearly spell out accommodations through IEPs and 504 plans when appropriate.

The restrictions also extend beyond traditional cell phones in some districts. Smartwatches and other connected devices can provide students with communication capabilities similar to those available through a phone.

Age could also influence how students respond. Yahn said middle school students are entering a period when independence and identity development become increasingly important, potentially affecting their reactions to restrictions on personal technology.

And while schools may limit phone access during the school day, Yahn said students still need to learn how to use technology responsibly.

“We can ban it,” Yahn said, “but they are still going to have to know how to use these types of technologies in their work world and personal life.”

Yahn also noted that phones can create concerns beyond distraction. Because many students carry devices capable of taking photographs and recording video, an embarrassing incident involving a student can potentially be captured and distributed before school officials are aware of it.

The challenge for Ohio schools now is determining how the statewide requirement works in practice — balancing classroom attention and student interaction with emergency communication, medical accommodations, enforcement and the longer-term goal of teaching students responsible technology use.