--- description: Exam scores climbed by as much as 6% in schools that imposed strict bans on cell phones, according to a new study that cautions policymakers to not overturn strict cell phone policies in the classroom. title: How Banning Cell Phones at School Affects Your Kids' Test Score image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf9ea4cb92cc0c971/6987ef5c2dce01b6129e1c8b/465748888.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) ## Tech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Test Scores Rise After Cell Phones Banned From Schools  by [Dan Kedmey](/author/dan-kedmey/)  ## Dan Kedmey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 12, 2015 1:29 PM CUT  A pupil uses his mobile phone for research during a english lesson at the Ridings Federation Winterbourne International Academy in Winterbourne near Bristol on February 26, 2015. A pupil uses his mobile phone for research during a english lesson at the Ridings Federation Winterbourne International Academy in Winterbourne near Bristol on February 26, 2015.Matt Cardy—Getty Images  by [Dan Kedmey](/author/dan-kedmey/)  ## Dan Kedmey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 12, 2015 1:29 PM CUT Exam scores climbed by as much as 6% in schools that imposed strict bans on cell phones, according to a new [study](http://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/dp1350.pdf "undefined") that cautions policymakers to keep strict cell phone policies in the classroom. Researchers at the University of Texas and Louisiana State University surveyed cell phone policies across schools in four English cities since 2001, studying how exam scores changed before and after the bans were enacted. “We found the impact of banning phones for these students equivalent to an additional hour a week in school, or to increasing the school year by five days,” the study’s authors [wrote](https://theconversation.com/us "undefined") on the academic blog, _The Conversation_. The authors noted the strongest gains occurred among underachieving and disadvantaged students, while they observed almost no measurable impact on the highest scoring students. “Allowing phones into schools would harm the lowest achieving and low income students the most,” the authors [conclude](http://Test%20Scores Rise After Cell Phones Banned From Schools "undefined"). ### Portraits of Schoolkids Learning Firearm Safety in Rural Indiana, 1956  Caption from LIFE. Wide-eyed fascination is displayed by boys as Rankin holds his revolver with the cylinder opened to show them there are no shells in it. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. In safety class instructor Rod Rankin is bombarded by Hobart, Ind., boys with questions about gun display and cartridge case in his belt. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Drawing bolt on 12-gauge shotgun, Johnny Cherela, 7, grimaces as he follows Rankin's instructions to check the chamber to see if gun is loaded. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Cringing class holds breath and ears as Rankin aims 30-30 rifle at can of water in demonstration to impress kids with the destructive power of guns. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Careening can splashes water through air as bullet hits it from 18 feet away. Later one of the awed boys told his mother how 'strong' the gun was. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Gun safety instruction, Indiana, 1956. Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3855257/cell-phone-ban-school-test-score/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3855257/cell-phone-ban-school-test-score/"},"headline":"Test Scores Rise After Cell Phones Banned From Schools","datePublished":"2015-05-12T13:29:31.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:44:50.216Z","description":"Impact of cell phone ban \"equivalent to an additional hour a week in school,\" study found","url":"https://time.com/3855257/cell-phone-ban-school-test-score/","keywords":["Tech","Smartphones","Education"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf9ea4cb92cc0c971/6987ef5c2dce01b6129e1c8b/465748888.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Dan Kedmey","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/dan-kedmey/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf9ea4cb92cc0c971/6987ef5c2dce01b6129e1c8b/465748888.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Childcare and Education To Be Key Election Issue","caption":"Childcare and Education To Be Key Election Issue","creditText":"Matt Cardy—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3855257/cell-phone-ban-school-test-score/","name":"Test Scores Rise After Cell Phones Banned From Schools"}}]}] ```