Phone-Free Schools Movement releases first-of-its-kind white paper on phones, learning, and youth mental health

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Phone-Free Schools Movement (PFSM) today released From Awareness to Action: A Blueprint for Phone-Free Schools, the first nationwide analysis of how parents view student phone use in K–12 schools. The report finds broad agreement that personal devices are disrupting learning, straining mental health, and eroding the school environment, and that schools and policymakers should lead the way in establishing clear, phone-free rules.

The study draws on a national survey of 1,000 parents of public-school students ages 9–17, conducted in October 2025 using a representative online panel. The survey examined policy awareness, enforcement, safety, well-being, and academic impact. Results were weighted to reflect national distributions of region, gender, race/ethnicity, income, and party affiliation.

Parents see more harm than help

Key findings from the white paper include:

• 58% of parents say their child has faced at least one negative consequence of device use during the school day, such as distraction, bullying, or social conflict.
• One in three parents believes phones harm the overall school environment.
• 70% of parents view teen device and social-media overuse as at least a moderate public-health concern.
• 38% say it is serious enough to warrant statewide or national action.
• Problems spike in early adolescence, especially around age 13 when many students receive their first phone and begin using social media.

"These numbers confirm what families have felt for years," said Mileva Repasky, co-founder of PFSM. "Parents are not asking for perfect kids or perfect schools. They are asking for one sane, protected space in the day where children can focus, learn, and build real friendships without a phone in their hand."

Co-founder Sabine Polak added, "Our mission is to give youth the freedom to excel without the pressures and harms of phones and social media during the school day. This data shows parents are ready for that change and they want schools and lawmakers to lead it."

Bipartisan concern, shared solutions

The survey reveals rare common ground in a polarized time. Parents across parties report similar levels of harm from student device use and show strong support for clearer school and state-level standards.

"Phones in schools are not a culture-war issue. They are a focus issue, a safety issue, and a youth-mental-health issue," said Paul Burani, founder of Mission Flywheel and research lead on the project. "It's the same story across party, income, and region: parents see more downside than upside, and they want to see action taken, to restore attention and wellbeing to the school day."

From data to action: a blueprint for phone-free schools

The white paper also offers practical recommendations for legislators, districts, and families, including:

• Establish statewide guidance keeping phones off and inaccessible all day, with exceptions for documented health needs.
• Pair phone-free policies with culture-building through clubs, peer-led activities, and spaces for non-digital connection.
• Position device limits within broader youth mental-health and school-safety efforts, not just classroom discipline.
• Align home and school expectations so families and educators reinforce the same boundaries.

PFSM has also developed toolkits for schools, families, and advocates, including model policies, communication templates, and implementation guides, available at www.phonefreeschoolsmovement.org.

For a copy of the white paper or to request interviews, please visit www.phonefreeschoolsmovement.org or contact (412) 860-8375 or 405774@email4pr.com.

About Phone-Free Schools Movement

The Phone-Free Schools Movement (PFSM) is a nonprofit initiative dedicated to restoring focus, connection, and confidence to the school day. PFSM works with parents, educators, and policymakers to promote evidence-based phone-free policies in K–12 schools and to provide youth the freedom to learn and develop without the pressures and harms of constant connectivity.

About Mission Flywheel

Mission Flywheel is a research and strategy consultancy that helps mission-driven organizations navigate growth, from insight to impact. For PFSM, Mission Flywheel designed and executed the national parent survey and developed the analysis and narrative.

Media Contact:
Mileva Repasky
(412) 860-8375
405774@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Phone-Free Schools Movement