Amy Hsu

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp says lawmakers decided to extend the state's existing ban on cell phones in K-8 schools after seeing a positive impact.

The ban would start in the 2027-28 school year.

Despite widespread cell phone bans in the country, a recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that locking students' phones in pouches has a close-to-zero effect on standardized test scores.

The study also found small or close-to-zero effects on attendance, classroom retention, and online bullying.

For NPR News, I'm Amy Hsu in Atlanta.