Hi Reader,

Ten states banned phones in schools last year. This year, it's 35.

And 26 of those states have gone full bell-to-bell: no phones from the first bell to the last. Rhode Island, Michigan, and California all have bans taking effect for the 2026–27 school year. New York's statewide rule is now the largest bell-to-bell policy in the country.

If your kid's school hasn't sent home a policy yet, it's probably coming.

Here's why I still think this is a win, not just an inconvenience: teens average close to 8.3 hours of phone time a day, not counting schoolwork. Classrooms that ban phones see real gains in test scores, especially for kids who were struggling most. And 72% of teachers say phones are a major distraction in their classroom. Whatever debate you want to have about self-regulation, the data on just removing the phone is pretty clean.

But a ban only covers about 7 hours of the day. It doesn't teach your kid what to do with the phone during the other 17: the ride home, the homework hour, the bedroom at night. That is still our job to figure out as parents.

A few places to start:

Talk about the "why" behind the ban. Kids are more likely to buy in when they understand the reasoning (better focus, fewer comparisons, real conversations at lunch) instead of hearing it as one more adult taking something away.

Keep phones out of bedrooms. This is the single biggest lever for sleep. Our children's bodies and brains develop while they are sleeping. It's our job to protect that sacred time.

Set a weekly tech check-in. Ten minutes, no lecture: just "what's going well, what's not, anything weird happen online this week." Regular and low-stakes beats a big talk that only happens after something goes wrong.

Use the screen time tools already on the phone. Most kids can't self-regulate cold turkey. Built-in app limits and downtime settings let them practice pulling themselves away with some scaffolding, instead of relying on willpower alone.

Has your kid's school announced a phone policy for this fall? Hit reply and let me know. I'm curious how different districts are handling it.

In Partnership,

Dr. Rupa

P.S. If the school's got the classroom hours covered but you're the one negotiating the other 17, Tech Ready is my 5-week course for parents and tweens (5th–8th grade) to take together, built to turn "put your phone away" into an actual family plan.

P.P.S. If your kid's school or PTA is wrestling with issues around devices, I speak about raising kids in the digital age at schools regularly. Hit reply and shoot me an email if you're interested in learning more.

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