Spokane schools see impact of no-phone policy halfway through year

SPOKANE, Wash. — About halfway through the school year, many local districts are assessing the impact of new policies aimed at improving student learning and well-being.

In August, Spokane Public Schools introduced a no-phone policy, keeping students in elementary and middle schools unplugged throughout the day. High school students are allowed limited phone use during lunch and passing periods.

SPS say the policy addresses the widespread role of cell phones in contributing to mental health issues and disruptions in the classroom.

Five months in, students and staff at Glover Middle School say the results are already noticeable.

“We actually talk to each other instead of just sitting in silence checking our phones,” said Alma, an eighth grader at Glover.

Initially, some students resisted the idea, but Alma said many have come to appreciate the change.

“A lot of drama and arguments start over a phone. There’s been a lot less of that, and it makes the school feel like a safer place.”

Safety has been a key concern for parents and a top priority for educators.

Art and industrial technology teacher Caleb Olson said his students are arriving to class in better moods and performing better while they’re there, fulfilling their full creative potential.

“In my ten years of teaching, I think this policy change has probably brought the most positive change compared to anything else,” Olson said.

Olson added that the policy has helped students reconnect with simple joys.

“They just really seem like kids again. There’s more energy, an occasional paper airplane, and they’re going back to the old-fashioned text message of passing notes. It just feels healthier.”

Some parents have expressed concerns about not being able to reach their children during the day. To address this, the district allows students to use the front office to contact their parents if needed.

Meanwhile, across the state line in Idaho, schools may soon follow suit. Governor Brad Little is encouraging all districts to implement phone restrictions by the end of next school year.