Allowing mobile technology in class has an "inevitable march of progress" feel to it, like when calculators were first allowed. And in classrooms around the country, this change is already occurring.

She says allowing the devices has actually decreased discipline issues. Several teachers interviewed for this story say a combination of allowing devices, and setting aside times where texting is OK, has led to a dramatic drop in "pocket texting" or "sweatshirt texting" in class.

For three years, Oyster River Middle School in Durham, N.H., has been letting students use their touch-screen devices in class. The kids learn how to make presentations on iPads, how to keep track of their homework on a smartphone, and what they should and shouldn't post on social media sites. The devices can be their planners, agenda books, and pocket reference libraries all day long.