Schools are competing with cell phones. Here's how they think they could win

Students are struggling to stay engaged in class at a time of poor mental health, shortened attention spans, reduced attendance and worsening grades. At the crux of these challenges? Addiction to cell phones. Cell phone bans are gaining traction around the country, but many say they’re not enough. They argue for alternative forms of stimulation: steering students into the outdoors or toward extracurricular activities to fill up time they might otherwise spend alone on their phones. And students need outlets, they say, to speak freely about taboo topics they’d otherwise discuss only behind the anonymity of their cell phone screens.