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The school year kicks off today for many Texas students, and among the major changes, there's one major change that everyone can expect during the 2025-26 school year: students will no longer be permitted to use their cell phones during the school day.
This is expected to have a number of benefits for students across the state. Psychologist Dr. Josh Briley with Parkland Health spoke about the potential benefits, saying, "There have been studies conducted that showed decreases in anxiety and depression among students and also a slight bump in test scores."
Dr. Briley also says this could lead to students spending more time speaking to and interacting with one another, which could lead to improved social skills.
He did warn, however, that despite all the expected benefits of the change, it would be a difficult transition because most of these students had grown accustomed to having a phone available constantly. He said in the first month or so, we should expect to see increases in anxiety and even depression, likening it to a detox period.
Dr. Briley also warned that this could be a difficult transition for parents, who have become accustomed to being able to reach their children easily, even when they're at school. The good news is, there's a way for parents to capitalize on this.
Briley advised parents, saying, "Since we're making this change for the school day anyway, I recommend that families take this opportunity to review their own cell phone use. You know, is everybody, every minute that they're together, all stuck in their phone?" He suggested designating specific times, like car rides or family meals, to be phone-free.