The first state-wide policy took effect two years ago.
The majority of U.S. K-12 students have already returned to the classroom or will soon do so this academic year, with limited access to their phones on public school grounds.
Following busy legislative sessions across the nation in recent months and years with respect to education laws, 30 states and the District of Columbia now have laws or regulations in place prohibiting or limiting student phone use in schools, according to a review of state legislature websites.
This ranges from “bell to bell” policies where students must place their devices in a locked pouch, to lesser restrictions where use is allowed between classes, lunch, recess periods, or classes in which smartphone applications are relevant to instruction.
Here’s a breakdown of how and why this movement spread across the nation:
Justification
Most states considered input from teachers and school leaders before legislators or education agencies determined restrictions. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that more than half of public school leaders believe cell phones hurt academic performance.
“With 54 percent of school leaders reporting negative impacts of cell phone use on academic performance, and even more citing negative impacts on students’ mental health and attention spans, schools are facing a critical issue,” Commissioner Peggy Carr said in a Feb. 19 statement.
“Schools are responding with practical solutions, like banning or restricting phone use.”
The federal agency surveyed personnel in 1,490 K-12 schools across all states and the District of Columbia in December.
Parent-led organizations, including the Phone-Free Schools Movement and Fairplay, continue to lobby for restrictions. Last year, those groups sent literature to schools linking phone use to increasing adolescent anxiety and depression rates,
“The detrimental effects of excessive smartphone and social media use on our youth are clear, and immediate action is necessary,” Phone-Free Schools Movement Co-Founder Sabine Polak said in a July 2024 news release.
