The Focused Student Project is a two-pronged initiative to ensure students can focus and succeed in the classroom.

As Utahns, we invest so much time, attention, and resources into our schools and students. However, we continue to hear a common refrain from teachers: A student distracted by a phone or hunger cannot learn.

By limiting smartphone use in the classroom and curbing student hunger, we maximize the impact of every other investment in education we make.

Smartphones have become a major distraction in Utah schools—disrupting classroom environments, decreasing academic performance, and contributing to bullying and social isolation. Parents and families need support, students need guidance, and teachers need assistance responding to this growing epidemic. We must take collective action to reset the norm around smartphones in schools. 

INITIATIVE 1: SMARTPHONES IN SCHOOLS

*View all data sources here.

Smartphones in the classroom are currently the norm in Utah. The bill “Devices in Public Schools,” sponsored by Sen. Fillmore and Rep. Welton, will flip the existing standard by limiting smartphones, smart watches, and emerging technology in classrooms—while allowing Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to adjust policies to meet local needs and create exceptions for students with certain health or education considerations. Through the creation of a public-private partnership with the Utah Legislature and private donors, funding will be available to help districts implement these policies. 

THE SOLUTION

POSITIVE OUTCOMES

WHEN SMARTPHONES WERE LIMITED IN THE CLASSROOM…

In Utah, 1 in 6 children face hunger. By addressing this problem, we can prevent the detrimental short- and long-term effects of student hunger—such as diminished academic performance, delayed development, and lifetime economic disadvantages. There are several targeted interventions we can take as a state to ensure children are fed and to promote upward mobility for Utah families. We have the power to end child hunger in Utah.

INITIATIVE 2: STUDENT HUNGER

THE SOLUTION

The Policy Project is working with Representative Tyler Clancy and other experts, elected officials, donors, and community members to craft impactful solutions that will make a meaningful difference for students. There are several targeted interventions we can take as a state to ensure children are fed and to promote upward mobility for Utah families.

Actionable steps may include:

  • Expand participation in no-cost school meals

  • Ensure food access during summer months

  • Maximize the use of existing federal meal programs

  • Alleviate student meal debt

  • Extend lunch periods to allow adequate eating time

  • Reduce the shame and stigma associated with no-cost and reduced price meals

POSITIVE OUTCOMES

Studies show that increasing access to student meals leads to...

  • Improved cognitive abilities and academic performance

  • Fewer suspensions and disciplinary actions

  • Reduced shame and stigma associated with school-provided meals

*View all data sources here.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Register for an upcoming event! Your attendance is a signal of community support to the Utah Legislature!

This initiative requires collective action! Become a Community Champion for this important cause.

We need your voice! Share your experiences and insights on student hunger & limiting smartphones at school.

Follow along on social media! Share Focused Student Project content to broaden the reach and impact.

FAQs

  • Student safety is a number one priority. School policies will include exceptions for students with health needs or IEPs. Schools will also detail the ways parents and guardians can communicate with their students if they do not have access to their smartphone, such as through classroom or office phones. Leading experts in school safety claim that cell phones during emergencies can increase safety risks by distracting from life-saving instructions and create problems for first responders, however there are many implementation models that would make it possible for students to have access to their phones during an emergency. 

  • Implementing a state-wide policy ensures that every district takes steps to limit cell phones in schools. Early adopters in Utah have already observed benefits, such as increased test scores and improved classroom culture. We want all districts to experience these positive outcomes.

  • Currently, policies on cell phone use are often left to individual classrooms, placing the entire burden of enforcement on teachers. Implementing uniform policies at the school, district, or state level would relieve teachers of this responsibility, ensuring consistent enforcement across all classrooms.

  • Research shows that, over time, students recognize the benefits of reduced phone access, such as decreased stress and increased focus in class. Education and positive reinforcement about limited cell phone use help improve compliance.

  • USBE and The Policy Project will provide model policies with recommendations and best practices for districts to adapt to their specific needs.

SMARTPHONES IN SCHOOLS

  • Eliminating the reduced price school meal category is a targeted solution to support Utah families and children. Eligibility for no-cost or reduced-price school meals is based on household income. Currently, families earning at or below 130% of the Federal poverty level ($40,560 for a family of four) qualify for free meals, while those earning between 130% and 185% ($40,560 to $57,720) qualify for reduced-price meals. Eliminating this category would mean that the state serves meals at no cost to qualifying students. Families at the threshold of eligibility for no-cost meals are the most likely to accrue meal debt. This approach not only addresses student hunger but also prevents students and families from accruing debt.

  • The federal Summer EBT (S-EBT) program provides children who qualify for free and reduced lunch with a $120 food benefit each summer they are eligible. It is estimated that 260,000 low income Utah children will be eligible for the $120 benefit, which will be provided on an EBT card and is restricted to food purchases. The state-level administrative costs of this program are only funded in Utah for summer of 2025, but continued funding would result in around $31.2 million in federal food benefits for Utah’s low-income children ($50 in federal funds for every $1 invested by the state).

  • By fully paying off the existing school meal debt across the state, we can start with a clean slate and concentrate on preventing future debt accumulation. Approximately $1.2 million in ARPA funds will be used to address a portion of this debt, leaving about $1.6 million outstanding. We plan to collaborate with elected officials and private donors to cover this remaining balance.

  • To combat the stigma surrounding no-cost school lunches, the bill may include measures to prevent discrimination, such as prohibiting public identification of students with meal debts, banning chores as a condition for meals, and directing all meal debt communications to parents or guardians. Additionally, we may provide districts and schools with clear guidelines on best practices, launch a marketing campaign with educational posters and billboards, and engage with student ambassadors to normalize no-cost lunches.

STUDENT HUNGER

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Together, we can ensure that students can focus and succeed in the classroom—and beyond.