Phone Bans and New York School Policies

Author: Ella Sperry

Field of Study: Economics: Policy Analysis

Program Affiliation: Education Research Scholars Program

Faculty Mentors: Suzanne McLeod

Easel: 52

Timeslot: Midday

Abstract: This study investigated the relationship between the severity of New York public schools personal electronics ban policies and their 2023–2024 school-year discipline, behavior, and demographic data. Data was taken from a random sample of 90 New York State school districts, categorized by policy strictness on a scale of full restriction, partial restriction, and light restriction. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed student demographics as a primary factor. A significant correlation was found between the percentage of white students and partial restriction policies (p = 0.002), particularly for a 2.2 level policy. It was also found that in Hispanic and Asian populations, there was increased policy ease (p = 0.00387). Districts with higher proportions of mixed demographics, as well as other ethnicities, tended to implement significantly stricter policies (p = 0.03). These findings suggest that “flexibility” in state mandates varies across racial groups.