The Results are in on Cell Phones in Dexter Community Schools

The community survey results are in for Cell Phones in Dexter schools, and one big takeaway is phones should be unavailable during class at minimum.

On March 19, Dexter Community Schools (DCS) hosted a Community Conversation regarding Cell Phones in schools, which was attended by roughly 40 community members. After the Community Conversation, a survey went out to the DCS community to gather additional information.

This was initiated by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signing two bipartisan bills that aim to improve focus during class time by minimizing digital distractions. According to the Governor’s Office, the two bills call for Michigan school districts to create action plans that keep devices away during class, with exceptions for emergencies and academic use.

To this, DCS Superintendent Ryan Bruder said in part “Michigan recently passed a law requiring schools to limit cell phone use during instructional time, with the goal of reducing distractions and helping students focus on learning. As our district begins to consider how DCS policies align with the law, this is a great opportunity for a community conversation on this topic.”

There were 125 survey responses with 111 coming from parents/guardians.

Here are some takeaways from the survey results, which are available in full on the school district’s website.

Here are two of the big concerns expressed:

Distraction from Learning (≈75–80%) — Dominant Issue

This is the most consistent and strongly expressed concern across responses.

● Students frequently: Lose focus during instruction; Are off-task or multitasking and Disrupt the learning environment for others.

● Many respondents emphasized that phones are constantly present and difficult for students to ignore.

Takeaway: Cell phones are widely viewed as a primary barrier to academic engagement and productivity.

Another concern:

Social Skills & Reduced Face-to-Face Interaction (≈35–40%)

A significant portion of respondents highlighted negative social impacts.

● Concerns include: Less in-person communication; Reduced relationship-building and Students being “not present” with peers.

● Some noted quieter hallways, less conversation, and weaker interpersonal skills.

Takeaway: Phones are seen as replacing real-world interaction and weakening social development.

Here are some of the Policy desires expressed in the survey results:

Strong preference for a restrictive policy or full-day ban ~60–70%

A majority of responses support one of these:

● no phones during the school day

● bell-to-bell ban

● no phones in classrooms

● phones off and away all day

● phones in lockers, bags, caddies, lockboxes, or pouches

A sizable share explicitly argue that partial rules create loopholes and that students will work around any gray area.

Overall read: The center of gravity in this dataset is toward tight restriction, not open access.

Another area under policy desire:

No phones during instructional time, but some access at lunch/passing time ~20–30%

A meaningful minority supports a middle-ground policy, such as:

● no phones during class

● access at lunch

● access between classes

● access before and after school only

This group generally still supports restrictions, but wants a more practical compromise, especially for older students.

Overall read: There is support for a structured-access model, especially at the high school level.

The district said in “Big-picture conclusions.”

● Phones should be unavailable during class at minimum, and preferably for the full school day, with a simple rule, uniform enforcement, and clear consequences.

● A policy will only work if it is consistent, clear, and enforced the same way by everyone.

Go to the district’s website to see all of the results.

Photo Cell Phones in Classroom: School Districts in Michigan will be reviewing policies around phones in the classroom. Image by giovannacco from Pixabay