FWCS Has Been Where You Are. Here's What We Found.

By Krista J. Stockman, APR, Communications and Marketing Director for Fort Wayne Community Schools

Krista Stockman

Parents worry about not being able to reach their kids. Students push back. Administrators wonder if enforcement will consume more time than it saves. These are real concerns, and as Indiana's schools prepare to go phone-free under Senate Enrolled Act 78 that takes effect on July 1 and will be implemented this fall, they are concerns worth taking seriously. Fort Wayne Community Schools has heard them all. We've also seen what happens on the other side.

FWCS implemented a phone-free school policy at our middle and high schools two years ago. We didn't wait for a mandate because the evidence was right in front of us in classrooms where teachers could finally teach without competing with a screen and in hallways where student conflicts tied to social media dropped noticeably.

The data backs up what our principals tell us: discipline incidents related to phone use and serious infractions, such as fighting, have declined. However, there has been an increase in another violation: chronic talking. That's a trade-off we will gladly accept. Teachers describe students making eye contact again, asking more questions and actually talking to each other. As for enforcement consuming more time than it saves, our administrators will tell you the opposite is true.

A new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research backs up what we have experienced: bell-to-bell bans are associated with fewer discipline problems, more engaged students and more satisfied teachers. The research also shows that the stricter the policy, the better the outcomes.

We're proud FWCS chose to act early. And to the parents worried about reaching their kids: our schools are reachable, our front office staff members answer the phone, and your children are safer and more focused because of this policy. As the rest of Indiana catches up, our students have already had two years of learning what school can look like without the distraction. The results speak for themselves.