Phones removed from schools — and the change during breaks was dramatic

Preliminary findings of a study conducted in collaboration with Tel Aviv University and Bar-Ilan University point to significant effects of the "Education with Attention" (Hinuch be-keshev) initiative of the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality.

The initiative, initiated by Tel Aviv-Yafo Mayor Ron Huldai, includes removing smartphones from the learning environment using dedicated lockers, training educational staff, working together with parents, and smart integration of technology to promote learning.

The study, conducted by Prof. Anelia Schlosser, Dr. Roi Levy, and Edgar Muchnik from the Department of Economics at Tel Aviv University, and Dr. Yuval Ofek-Shani from Bar-Ilan University, tracks the effects of the initiative to remove phones from the learning environment on students and teachers in secondary schools in the city.

The central finding: a dramatic change during breaks

The most prominent effect was measured during breaks. In schools not participating in the initiative, 79% of students use their phones with medium or high frequency during breaks. In contrast, 74% of students in schools participating in the initiative do not use them at all or use them rarely — a real gap.

The time freed up from the phone does not remain empty. Teachers in schools participating in the initiative reported, at significantly higher rates than their colleagues, positive social activities of students during breaks. Also, a positive initial indication of improved concentration was found — although the researchers note that at this stage it cannot be determined with certainty that the improvement was caused directly by the initiative.

It is important to note that the initiative did not lead to a significant spillover into increased phone use outside of school hours. There may be a small increase after school, but it does not compensate for the school hours without the phone. Also, no increase in the use of alternative devices such as tablets was measured.

Background: students are aware of the problem — but find it difficult to change alone

The study data point to a worrying picture: most students use their phones for over three hours a day, and 50% of them spend over two hours a day on social networks. What distinguishes the findings is that the students are aware of this: a significant portion of them identify that they find it difficult to regulate their use and use them more than they think is right for them, and over a third estimate that reducing use would improve their sleep, concentration, and grades.

The gap between awareness and actual change is explained in part by social influences: students estimate that reducing use will benefit them much more when the whole class does it together, rather than when they are required to do it alone. This finding strongly reinforces the logic of collective school intervention, rather than leaving the responsibility solely in the hands of the child and the family.

Resistance moderates over time

At the beginning of the initiative, student satisfaction with the new policy was low, but throughout the year it rose significantly — especially among those who were initially very dissatisfied. The direction is encouraging and points to a gradual and positive adaptation to a new norm.

Most educators in the initiative underwent training on proper smartphone use and conducted more activities on the subject compared to their colleagues.

Next steps

After a pilot program conducted in the past year in a limited number of schools, in the 5787 school year (2026/27), the "Education with Attention" initiative will be expanded to all 37 secondary schools in the city.

As part of the full implementation of the program, all middle and high schools will work to reduce distractions in the learning space, alongside the assimilation of tools and practices to strengthen the attention, concentration, and presence of students, as well as to strengthen interpersonal communication and relationships between them.

At the same time, in the 5787 school year, a new program will begin in nine middle schools in the city, in which 7th-grade students will learn using Chromebook laptops.

These computers will allow teaching staff to manage a focused digital pedagogical environment, promote differential learning, and integrate technology in a controlled manner adapted to the goals of teaching and learning. The program is accompanied by academic research and is built on the concept that attention is a foundation for learning, emotional well-being, and a sense of belonging.

The research team plans to run additional surveys in the 5787-5788 school year that will allow for a deeper assessment, examination of the barriers that prevent students from reducing use, and a dedicated study on the effect of the reduction on concentration and working memory.