Cellphone usage has exploded in the 21st century, and schools have implemented a variety of regulations to control students being on the devices, but now, bans are sweeping the country.
The use of cellphones in schools has only grown, and for teachers, it has become a significant problem. As lawmakers push forward laws empowering teachers and school administrators to restrict cellphone use in the classroom, here is why they are being supported and where they’re being implemented.
Why the push to restrict phones in schools
Various research has led to the push for cellphone restrictions in schools, raising the alarm about how the devices distract from students’ learning in classrooms.
A fall 2023 Pew Research survey found that 72% of high school teachers believe cellphone distraction is a major problem in their classrooms. The poll is one of several studies that showed cellphone use in classrooms has been a problem, even if students believe the devices help them in the classroom.
Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for warning labels to be placed on social media regarding students’ frequent use of cellphones at school due to the negative effects on their mental health.
“It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents,” Murthy said in an op-ed for the New York Times last year. “The moral test of any society is how well it protects its children.”
Murthy’s warning and other data have renewed interest in several states and lawmakers to act on limiting cellphone use for younger generations, specifically in schools, which ramped up in 2024.
An October 2024 Pew Research survey showed that 68% of adults support banning cellphones for students during class, but only 36% of adults support banning cellphones for the entire school day.
The most popular reasons adults say they oppose a cellphone ban include allowing students to reach their parents when needed, concerns over a ban being too difficult to enforce, and the belief that cellphones can be useful in the classroom.
Where are cellphones restricted in schools?
Eight states have banned cellphone use in schools, with Florida being the first to do so when Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed a bill into law in 2023.
The legislation in the Sunshine State allows teachers to ban cellphone use during classroom instruction and authorizes them to hold a student’s phone if it becomes a distraction.
Florida was followed by Indiana, Louisiana, Virginia, California, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Ohio in passing similar bans that have either been enacted or will be in the coming year. Each of the states that have passed bans has taken different approaches to implementing the policy.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) enacted a ban via an executive order, calling for cellphone bans to be implemented in the commonwealth beginning in January 2025, while Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) signed into law legislation that restricts student cellphone use in schools beginning in July 2026.
In 15 other states, bans have been proposed, and another eight states have either started pilot programs or have issued policy recommendations on bans, according to the Associated Press.
What have the results been?
Early results from cellphone bans in schools appear to be generally positive. A Bloomberg report showed that when the bans were implemented in various New York schools, student test scores improved, and teachers reported that students were more engaged in class.
The report acknowledged that the adjustment was difficult at first, but schools also noticed an increase in student attendance at school events.
Another report from the Washington Post showed more mixed results, with some students’ screen time decreasing after the bans were implemented while other students used their phones more on the weekends. The report revealed that teachers found students significantly more engaged during school hours and in class.
Where are bans being considered?
Several states have proposed or explored banning cellphones in schools to some extent.
One of the states eyeing a cell phone ban in school, Nebraska, is currently debating legislation that would require schools to adopt a policy banning students from using cellphones during school hours before the 2025-2026 school year.
“There are two reasons for this bill. First, it addresses what has become one of the most frequent and difficult to manage distractions in the classroom — students’ cell phones,” Gov. Jim Pillen (R-NE), who supports the bill, testified to the state legislature. “The second reason for this legislation is the serious impact that constant cell phone use has on our kids.”
Another place where cellphone bans in schools are being considered is in Washington, D.C., where Councilwoman Brooke Pinto introduced legislation last month that would also restrict the use of cellphones during school hours.
“We must remain focused on supporting a learning environment in all of our schools that will help our students learn, play, engage, and thrive,” Pinto said in a statement about the legislation. “Removing distracting devices during the school day will better equip our students to focus, empower our teachers to teach, and ensure that our kids are engaging with one another in person, which will benefit them and their outcomes for years to come.”
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The matter has also gained national attention, with lawmakers in Congress introducing legislation to require the surgeon general to study the effects of cellphone use in schools.
“Widespread use of cell phones in schools are at best a distraction for young Americans; at worst, they expose schoolchildren to content that is harmful and addictive. Our legislation will make schools remain centers of learning,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), who introduced legislation with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), said in a statement.
