黑料福利社

During lunchtime last Wednesday聽at Naches Valley Middle School, students played outside, talking, laughing and running around. There wasn't a cellphone in sight.聽

This school year, the middle school implemented stricter cellphone rules. Students must keep their phones in their lockers from the first bell to the last.聽

The middle school staff and administrators say they've seen a night-and-day difference in behavior, engagement and focus since implementing the new policy.聽

"They're much more willing to have face-to-face conversations," teacher Savannah Stinglen said. "Which, after the last few years, especially post-COVID, is refreshing."

Stinglen is in her 10th year of teaching, and has spent eight of them at Naches Valley's middle school, teaching seventh and eighth grade English language arts and leadership.聽

The biggest changes she's noticed are engagement, behavior and students' willingness to do the classwork.聽

"They're not distracted. They're willing to participate. They're happier when (phones are) removed for them," Stinglen said.

State guidance

Naches Valley Middle School is among the 31% of public schools in Washington with a strict bell-to-bell cellphone policy, according to 2025 research from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.聽

翱厂笔滨听聽that 53% of districts said their policies restrict access to smart devices during instructional time only.

State Schools Superintendent Chris Reykdal has been聽聽their cellphone policies, and聽75% of districts updated their policies after guidance from OSPI.

Washington hasn't set a聽, like other some other states. A bill during the legislative session but died in the House.聽

Even with cellphone bans, research has found mixed results. A study released earlier this week by the聽 found that cellphone use decreased in schools using lockable phone pouches, but the average effect on test scores was "close to zero."

The study found little evidence of effects on school attendance, classroom attention, or perceived online bullying. Schools reported a short-term increase on disciplinary incidents as bans went into effect, but that bump faded with time and the study found positive effects on well-being.

The researchers said more research is needed over time.聽

Students are happier

In the Naches Valley district, school staff said they've seen positive effects from the cellphone ban during the school day.聽Students' emotions are more regulated, and they're no longer closed off or playing video games, Stringlen said.

Students are more engaged in their classroom work, and teachers are spending more time teaching rather than policing the kids.聽

"We probably spent the same amount of time asking students to put their phones away as we did actually trying to teach them something," Stinglen said.

A couple of years ago, students were allowed to have their phones but they had to be turned off and put away. But the leniency came with students going on Snapchat, making TikTok videos and filming fights,聽according to Stinglen

The bell-to-bell cellphone policy aims to address bullying, drama and inattention in class. It also helps reduce tardiness since students aren't on their phones as they are headed to class, Stinglen added.

During lunch, students have less supervision. Not having a phone during that time prevents them from taking inappropriate videos, such as fights, or getting on social media.聽

"My discipline and my time spent on issues from social media has decreased by at least 50%," said Assistant Principal Danielle Holt.

There's less bullying, and students have grown receptive to the middle school's new cellphone policy.

"We have quite a few students (who) are relieved, and they've let me know that," Holt said. "We've also had a couple of students I dealt with last year (who) were into the social media drama. This year has been none whatsoever."

Eighth-grader Arya Otterstein has also noticed a change among her peers. Not only are students more focused and engaged, but also happier and more positive, she said.

Community support聽

When the middle school was聽starting to look into the new policy last year, Stinglen said that it was a much bigger deal. Now, students better understand the expectations and the consequences of violating the policy.聽

The first violation is a warning. The second time, students' phones stay in the office for the rest of the school day. If聽there's a third violation, the phone stays in the office, and a parent or guardian must pick it up.聽

A fourth violation means students must turn their phones in at the office and pick them up at the end of the day.聽

"It's not forever," Holt said. "They get an opportunity to redeem themselves and prove that they're responsible."

Holt said she was initially nervous about how the community would react to the new cellphone policy, but has seen overwhelming support since its implementation. Even students have been vocal about the benefits.聽

Some parents initially had concerns, but have since been on board with the policy after getting a better understanding of it and its exceptions.

Permanent exceptions include students with medical conditions who need their phones to monitor conditions such as diabetes. Arrangements can also be made for students with family emergencies.聽聽

At the high school

Naches Valley High School's policy isn't as strict as the middle school, but staff members say they are still seeing benefits. Students are allowed to use their cellphones during non-instructional times聽鈥� passing periods and lunch. The issue with the high school was that the cellphone policy wasn't enforced consistently prior to this year.

"What's really helped us is a full staff commitment to this," Principal Eric Valentine said. "Everyone got in the room and said, 'This has to stop.'"

Administrators also are seeing changes in the high school students. Kids are talking and reading more, and playing hacky sack at lunchtime instead of being on their phones.聽

"Our kids are high schoolers, and we're trying to prepare them for their life after school and responsible use," Valentine said.

The middle and high school students are not completely cut off from technology during school. They still have access to Chromebooks, which allows them to do necessary work.

Without cellphones, students and teachers have reported feeling less stressed.

Senior Brent Mize said conversations and friendship-building among classmates have become easier.聽Students having their cellphones taken away is no longer perceived by them as the teacher's fault, he added.

The cellphones were causing behavioral issues that high school teacher Jeni Mickle said are almost a non-issue now.

"Occasionally, I still have to take a phone, but it doesn't result in a big, ugly confrontation," she said. "It was a constant issue before."

Before, telling a student to put their phone away during class would cause friction because of inconsistent enforcement and a lack of consequences. Now, with a concrete policy in place, the relationship between teachers and students has changed.

But to get students on board with the new policy, the teachers had to come to an understanding first.

"I don't think this policy would work if we all weren't on the same page about being consistent about it in every classroom," Mickle said. "I think that's the only reason it's been successful."