Justin Heinze

In the News

Cell phones away. Then what?

Sep 30, 2026 Michigan Research

The cell phone that interrupts a lesson can also remind a student to take medication. As Michigan schools set new limits on student phones, University of Michigan researchers are studying which rules work, and for whom. This month’s Michigan Research...

In the News

After Michigan school cell phone ban, most districts haven't...

Jun 5, 2026 Detroit Free Press

Many Michigan districts already have cellphone policies, but the new law creates an opportunity to look at which policies best support student well-being and academic success.

Student looking at cell phone while sitting with a backpack in front of lockers

News

What happens when schools restrict phones? U-M Youth Policy Lab convenes national conference as new studies get underway

Apr 16, 2026

On April 10, the University of Michigan's Youth Policy Lab (YPL) convened a National School Cell Phone Policy Conference, inviting researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from Michigan and beyond to compare notes on a rapidly changing school pol...

What happens when schools restrict phones? U-M Youth Policy Lab convenes national conference as new studies get underway

Report

Michigan School Cellphone Policy Study: Landscape Analysis

May 12, 2026

Brian Jacob, Justin Heinze, Elyse Thulin, Triana Kazaleh Sirdenis, Rukmini Nallamothu, Giuliana Cusumano

As part of a larger CDC-funded project focused on cellphone policies and health, the University of Michigan research team led by Dr. Brian Jacob, Dr. Justin Heinze, and Dr. Elyse Thulin, collected data on existing cellphone policies in the 2025/2026 ...

Student looking at a cell phone while sitting at a desk surrounded by other students in a classroom