Gov. Kotek says Oregon’s statewide cell phone ban is making an impact as early results show students becoming more focused and engaging more in the classroom

Oregon – Gov. Tina Kotek said early results from Lane County schools showed the impact of Oregon’s statewide cell phone restrictions, with students reportedly becoming more focused, interacting more with classmates and participating more in the classroom.

“Early results from Lane County schools are showing the impact of Oregon’s statewide cell phone ban: students are more focused, connecting more with each other, and engaging more in the classroom,” Kotek wrote in a social media post Wednesday, sharing a report from KVAL about the early results.

The comments came after Lane County school administrators described changes they have observed since Oregon schools began implementing restrictions on student cellphone and personal electronic device use, KVAL reported.

Kotek issued an executive order in July 2025 requiring every Oregon school district to establish a policy restricting students’ use of personal electronic devices during regular instructional hours. Districts were required to have board-approved policies in place by Oct. 31, 2025, with full implementation required by Jan. 1, 2026. The state said the goal was to create more focused, inclusive and engaging learning environments.

In Lane County, some districts began implementing the restrictions before the statewide deadline. Bethel and Springfield schools introduced their policies in September 2025, while Eugene 4J implemented its policy at the January 2026 deadline, according to KVAL.

School administrators interviewed by KVAL said they had seen several changes since the restrictions took effect.

Springfield High School Principal José da Silva said students appeared to be more engaged, with teachers reporting increased attentiveness. He also said the school had seen improvement in some high-level tests and a significant increase in students checking out books.

Springfield Public Schools estimated that approximately 4,000 books were checked out during the previous school year, the highest number the district had seen since the early 2000s.

Willamette High School Principal Alyssa Dodds also described the change in student behavior, saying students previously could often be seen looking down at their phones while walking through hallways or sitting in class.

The restrictions were designed in part to address concerns about distractions caused by phones and other personal electronic devices. State officials have also pointed to broader concerns surrounding student well-being and excessive screen use.

KVAL reported that some Lane County educators believe removing phones from classrooms has helped students interact more directly with each other. School officials described seeing more face-to-face conversations and fewer students absorbed in their devices during passing periods and class.

At North Eugene High School, Principal Ricci Huling said the policy could also provide students with a greater sense of security when participating in classroom discussions. She said students may feel more comfortable expressing themselves when they are less concerned that something they say could be recorded and posted online.

However, the transition has not been without criticism.

Some parents and students have raised concerns about communication during the school day. KVAL spoke with a Springfield parent who said she had difficulty communicating with her son after his phone was confiscated when he checked a message between classes.

The incident also created a transportation problem because the student’s bus pass was stored digitally on his phone.

Districts have responded by directing parents to contact school offices when they need to reach students during the day. Some schools have staff members deliver messages directly to classrooms, according to KPIC.

Enforcement also varies between districts. Students caught using prohibited devices can have their phones confiscated until the end of the school day, while repeat violations can result in parents being required to retrieve the device or students being placed on prevention plans.

Some students have also expressed mixed feelings about the restrictions. Springfield High School senior Kennedi Cofey told KVAL that although she believed the policy caused her to socialize more, she also felt some students were less interested in attending school because of the restrictions.

Despite those concerns, administrators interviewed by KVAL said the early results have been positive enough that they do not expect schools to return to the previous approach.

The Oregon Department of Education has described the cellphone restrictions as part of a statewide effort to improve student academic success, mental health and overall well-being. The department says the first year of implementation has been completed and schools can use feedback from students and staff to refine their policies going forward.

The Oregon experience comes as cellphone restrictions continue expanding across the country. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that more than two-thirds of U.S. states had policies restricting cellphone use in schools as of summer 2026, while research has shown some benefits from phone restrictions but more limited evidence of improvements in academic performance.

For Kotek, however, the early reports from Lane County offered evidence that the policy is achieving one of its primary goals: getting students to put down their phones and re-engage with their classrooms and classmates.

“Early results” remain just that, and longer-term data will be needed to determine the policy’s full impact. But the experiences reported by Lane County schools indicate that Oregon’s statewide restrictions have already changed how students spend their school day, from increased face-to-face interaction to fewer distractions and more classroom engagement.