The cellphone: A helpful or harmful school tool?

In today’s connected world, smartphones can be as familiar a sight as laptops and textbooks in schools, yet the devices pose a unique set of challenges within the classroom. 

Gov. Greg Gianforte has called for Montana superintendents and school boards to establish “cellphone-free” policies, aiming to reduce distractions and improve academic outcomes.  

Citing a 2023 report from Common Sense and the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, the Governor’s Office highlighted that 97% of 11- to 17-year-olds use cellphones during school hours, receiving over 50 notifications daily. The report also noted that policies on cellphone use are inconsistently enforced.