The #1 Thing Teachers Want to Transform Student Behavior (It’s Not Stricter Rules)

May 1

A recent EdWeek survey of nearly 6,000 teachers across all 50 states just asked:

What would have a major impact on student behavior?

53% gave the same answer: reducing students’ access to screens and phones

More than half of teachers surveyed believe this single change would be transformational. It ranks alongside smaller class sizes, and outpaces even stricter disciplinary consequences.

Most schools have tried, and phone policies alone don’t work. In schools with bell-to-bell phone bans, 51% of students still use phones at lunch.

Why policies fail where design succeeds:

Schools have tried phone bans. Teachers have confiscated devices. Most policies create more friction without results. Why? A policy is a rule. A phone-free school is a system.

A system needs:

Physical infrastructure
Stakeholder alignment
Cultural preparation
A change management strategy

Schools that design a true phone-free learning environment see real transformation.

Schools using phone-free systems like Yondr are able to create conditions where students can focus, connect with each other and their teachers, and be present.

The results?

More instructional time
Fewer behavior issues
Stronger community
Less anxiety

Ready to explore what it could look like at your school?

DATA SOURCE _: EdWeek Research Center, The State of Teaching 2026, nationally representative online survey conducted in August-November 2025 of 5,802 teachers.