69´«Ã½

Ed-Tech Policy Tracker

Which States Ban or Restrict Cellphones in 69´«Ã½?

A look at statewide laws and policies on cellphones in schools
By Arianna Prothero, Lauraine Langreo & Alyson Klein — June 28, 2024 | Updated: January 17, 2025 1 min read
Animated image of a student using a cellphone in class.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

The iPhone debuted 17 years ago on June 29, 2007, launching the modern smartphone era that virtually every current K-12 student has been born into.

But students’ access to their devices during the school day stands to be dramatically curtailed. A growing wave of education leaders and policymakers are adopting new cellphone policies, with the debate swinging decidedly in favor of tighter restrictions. Limiting access, they argue, will benefit students’ mental health and learning.

At least 19 states have laws or policies that ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones in schools statewide or recommend local districts enact their own bans or restrictive policies, according to an Education Week analysis.   

As the debate over cellphones in schools continues, Education Week is tracking state-level legislation and policies that aim to limit students' access to the devices during the school day.


Cellphone Laws & Policies

Follow this tracker to see what’s happening at the state level.

Active state policies on cellphones at-a-glance

State policy details


Resources

Dive deep into the debate on cellphones in K-12 schools—bans, restrictions, classroom learning tools, and more.
052124 Cell Phones jb BS
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Photograph of a white teen using a cellphone in the classroom.
iStock/Getty
Image of a cellphone being erased by a pencil.
Kotryna Zukauskaite for Education Week
A drowning hand reaching out of a cellphone for help
iStock/Getty
A cell phone sits on a student's desk during a 9th grade honors English class at Bel Air High School in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024.
A cellphone sits on a student's desk during a 9th grade honors English class at Bel Air High School in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024. The policies that districts and schools use to manage the use of cellphones during the school day vary widely.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week

Image of cellphones.
RyanJLane/iStock/Getty
Read More
Learn more about cellphones in K-12 schools—whether they are being banned, used as instructional tools, or something in between.
April 16, 2024

Contact Information

For media or research inquiries about this table and data or to contribute information, contact library@educationweek.org.

How to Cite This Page

Which States Ban or Restrict Cellphones in 69´«Ã½? (2024, June 28). Education Week. Retrieved Month Day, Year from /technology/which-states-ban-or-restrict-cellphones-in-schools/2024/06

Laura Baker, Creative Director and Lynn (Yunfei) Liu, Digital News Specialist contributed to this article.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Special Education Webinar
Don’t Count Them Out: Dyscalculia Support from PreK-Career
Join Dr. Elliott and Dr. Wall as they empower educators to support students with dyscalculia to envision successful careers and leadership roles.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
Improve School Culture and Engage 69´«Ã½: Archery’s Critical Role in Education
Changing lives one arrow at a time. Find out why administrators and principals are raving about archery in their schools.
Content provided by 
School Climate & Safety Webinar Engaging Every Student: How to Address Absenteeism and Build Belonging
Gain valuable insights and practical solutions to address absenteeism and build a more welcoming and supportive school environment.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Ed-Tech Policy Need Guidance on How to Avoid AI Pitfalls? New Resources Aim to Help 69´«Ã½
The U.S. Department of Education has released new resources for schools on AI that include recommendations on some thorny issues.
4 min read
Photo illustration of teacher using AI for grading.
iStock
Ed-Tech Policy Opinion How to Become an Ed-Tech Visionary Without Really Trying
Beware of PR grifters eager to turn education pros into A-list-worthy celebs. (And read the fine print.)
4 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Ed-Tech Policy Should 69´«Ã½ Have Cellphone Restrictions for Teachers Too?
69´«Ã½ expect teachers to model responsible cellphone use.
4 min read
Illustration of a young woman turning off her mobile phone which is even bigger than she is.
iStock/Getty
Ed-Tech Policy Here's When Most Americans Think Cellphones Should Be Banned
Banning cellphones during class is very popular with American adults.
5 min read
A student uses their cell phone after unlocking the pouch that secures it from use during the school day at Bayside Academy on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, in San Mateo, Calif. Gavin Newsom sent letters Tuesday, Aug. 13, to school districts, urging them to restrict students’ use of smartphones on campus.
A student uses a cellphone after unlocking the pouch that secures it from use during the school day at Bayside Academy in San Mateo, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2024.
Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP