​Why Phone-Free?​

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Children learn best in an environment where they feel safe and are free from constant distractions. ​

 

The introduction of phones and other personal devices in school environments has disrupted children's academic and social development. Teachers have witnessed the impact on student focus and learning firsthand. A National Education Association poll found that 83% of teachers support banning all-day phone use. https://www.nea.org/resource-library/impact-social-media-and-personal-devices-mental-health

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When schools implement bell-to-bell phone- and personal device-free environments, students thrive (improvements in academics, mental health, and social cohesion). This leads to a safer school environment - a break from cyberbullying and other online harm- which will improve children’s mental health and social development and will allow school leaders/administrators/staff more time to focus on more important work.​​​​​​​

 

​Why Social Media-Free? ​

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• Social media and gaming apps are addictive by design. They disrupt social development, encourage compulsive use, and expose students to harmful content.

• Students report rising levels of anxiety, depression, bullying, and academic distraction linked to digital overuse.

• Schools unintentionally normalize these apps when they allow or rely on them for communication or activities.

• No child should be forced to have a phone or a social media app because their school or any extracurricular activity requires it. 

 

School's Obligation: Ensure that schools are not encouraging social media use during or after the instructional day:

• Ban school-related communication via social media. Schools, employees, and volunteers cannot use social media to contact students, including to share practice and game times. 

• Keep social media and gaming apps out of the school day.  Students should not be allowed to access social media or gaming apps on personal or school-issued devices during the school day or supervised school activities (field trips, sports, dances, etc.).

• Support digital literacy.
  Schools are encouraged to integrate age-appropriate lessons on safe, responsible, and healthy use of digital media.

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Distraction-Free Schools Model Legislation Package (Briefing Doc)- Model state legislation to share with legislators.

The Distraction-Free Schools Model Legislation Package aims to protect students, empower educators, and ensure every classroom tool—digital or traditional—serves a single purpose: helping students learn safely and effectively.​​​​​​​​​​

 

ADVOCACY RESOURCES

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PRIMARY RESOURCES​​​​​​​

• Briefing Document: Phone-Free Schools - FAQs

• Best Practice Model School Policy - For schools implementing bell-to-bell​​​

• Letter of Support - To get community members to sign and share​​​​​​​​​

• FAQs

• ​Getting Community Buy-In

• Phone Storage Ideas

• Articles and Research

• Videos, Presentations and Webinars

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TEMPLATES: Copy and Edit​​​​​

• Email Template: Co-Sponsor Request:

• Op-Ed Templates - Under 700 words

• Letter to the Editor Template - Under 200 words

• Getting Community Buy-In

• Testimony suggestions: Template: Use the parts you feel will be most relevant

• Email requesting meeting w/legislator - Use this to request a meeting with legislators

• Co-Sponsor Request: Email Template - To ask legislators to co-sponsor a bill

• Legislator call script - Shares that 18 states have passed bell-to-bell

• Legislator email - Shares that 18 states have passed bell-to-bell

• Indiv/Org. Support Request: Formal Email Template

• Indiv/Org. Support Request: Informal Email Template

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TALKING POINTS​​​​​​​

• Success Stories - Schools that have gone phone-free are seeing amazing results​​

• Experts' Letter of Support - Signed by ATF, NEA, Jon Haidt, and other advocates​​

• Local Control Talking Points

• ​​Emergency Safety: One of the top concerns we hear from parents is about reaching their child during a school emergency. In fact, school safety experts say phones make students less safe during a school emergency.  ​

  • National Assoc. of School Resource Officers - Letter of Support

  • NSRO Press Release - NSRO website

  • Low-Cost Storage Options

    • ​Phone Storage Ideas​​​​​​​

    • Low-Cost Alternative Storage Ideas - Learn about creative low-cost options for a bell-to-bell

• Flyers and Slides

  • Stats Flyer - Source: Phone-Free Schools Movement

  • Cyberbullying - Source: ScreenTime Action Network at Fairplay

  • Illegal Online Drug Sales - Source: ScreenTime Action Network at Fairplay

  • Gaming - Source: ScreenTime Action Network at Fairplay

  • Online Challenges - Source: ScreenTime Action Network at Fairplay

  • Screen Overuse - Source: ScreenTime Action Network at Fairplay

  • Sexual Exploitation - Source: ScreenTime Action Network at Fairplay​​​​

  • Anxiety and Depression Slides - Source: The Anxious Generation

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TOOLKITS​​

• Ambassador Toolkit - Source: Phone-Free Schools Movement/Fairplay
• Administrator Toolkit - Source: Phone-Free Schools Movement/Fairplay
• Screen Strong Toolkit - Source: Screen Strong

• Toolkit for Assessing Phones in Schools (TAPS) - To help elementary, middle, and high schools evaluate their phone policy. Jointly developed by Stanford Social Media Lab and Tech and Society Lab at NYU Stern.

• Away for the Day" - AFTD is a movement providing free tools to help schools transition to device-free

• NY Bell-to-Bell Toolkit - Written by NY Teachers Union​​​​​​​