Stop the Scrolling, Strengthen Workforce Readiness (Robert Coon Commentary)

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For many of us, smartphones are our lifelines. They allow us to stay in touch with loved ones, keep up with the news, and purchase daily essentials. Some might even ask, “Is it possible to operate in society today without these devices?”

Perhaps, but it wouldn’t be easy.

While smartphones create enormous opportunities and conveniences, it’s critical to recognize their adverse effects on us individually, as a society, and, perhaps most notably, in our schools. This is why Arkansans increasingly agree: we must get cell phones out of our classrooms.

Heading into the 2024-2025 school year, my firm conducted a poll for ExcelinEd, a national education policy group, which found that two-thirds of Arkansas parents with children in K-12 schools support making schools phone-free. With encouragement and leadership from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, more than three-quarters of districts statewide are now voluntarily participating in a pilot program to limit students’ phone usage.

A Path to Better Educational Outcomes

The path to strong educational outcomes and workforce readiness is not paved with smartphones. This doesn’t mean students shouldn’t access technology — quite the contrary. Take the Bentonville School District, for example. Since enacting limits on cell phones last year, Superintendent Debbie Jones reported that nearly 90% of teachers at one high school noted a positive impact on their students.

The results were remarkable: verbal and physical offenses dropped by more than 50%, as did drug-related offenses. At the same time, the district reported record enrollment in computer science and cybersecurity classes.

The Consequences of Overreliance

Two issues directly linked to excessive smartphone use are shorter attention spans and increased multitasking. Anxiety, depression, and reduced resilience — additional outcomes tied to smartphones and social media — are also urgent challenges.

Creativity and critical thinking are fundamental to learning, entrepreneurship, and leadership, yet smartphones often impede students’ ability to develop these skills independently. Some tech industry experts have likened smartphone programming to “brain hacking,” similar to slot machines that reward instant gratification. These effects hinder students’ educational experiences, learning, and, ultimately, workforce readiness.

A Unified Vision for the Future

This month, Governor Sanders announced in her State of the State address her intention to “ban cell phones in our schools, bell to bell, so that our kids are not distracted, in class or out of it.” Her announcement garnered near-immediate bipartisan support. Based on our research, it’s clear that many parents across the state agree.

Today, more than ever, Arkansans are aligning on the need to prioritize student well-being by removing smartphones from classrooms. Will our state capitalize on the momentum we’ve seen in districts so far? Let’s hope so. Our students’ workforce readiness and long-term success depend on it.

Robert Coon is a partner at Impact Management Group, an Arkansas-based public affairs and public research firm that conducted the ExcelinEd poll. For more information, visit impactmanagement.com.