In a Pew Research Center poll, 72 percent of U.S. high school teachers identify students’ cell phone distractions as a major issue, according to the National Association of State Boards of Education. Almost all 11- to 17-year-olds with smartphones use them regularly in school, for a median 43 minutes per school day.
The result: teachers observe frequent multitasking, reduced collaboration and challenges to classroom authority. More than half of public school leaders say cell phones hurt academic performance, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Concerns extend beyond the impact on academics, including risks to students’ safety and mental health due to accessing social media. Pew reports that 96 percent of youth ages 13-17 report using social media, with 46 percent saying they use it “almost constantly.”
Specific digital behaviors, rather than smartphone ownership alone, are associated with adverse mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression in adolescents, according to a pilot study of digital use and well-being among 11- to 13-year-olds in Florida
Bans of devices during the school day alone will not address the complicated, potential harms arising from students’ online behaviors, nor help them learn skills for appropriate use, according to studies. “We need to pair a ban or restriction with media literacy classes and equipping students with skills to succeed in a digitally dominant place,” said Julia Clauson, California State Board of Education’s student member in 2024–25.
States have responded in different ways to concerns about students’ use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices. Some states let districts adopt their own policies. Others want to be sure that personal devices can be used to advance instruction and do so equitably.
As of April 2025, at least 31 states and the District of Columbia have adopted statewide bans or restrictions regarding use of personal electronic devices. Some set rules for districts to follow and others simply require districts have policies in place. There are protocols for cell phone use at 86 percent of elementary schools and 55 percent of high schools.
Many parents are concerned cell phone bans will make it impossible to reach their children during an emergency. But law enforcement and first responders say that students’ phones can complicate emergency response. When students go into emergency drills, their phones need to be not live. If phones are ringing, it is a dead giveaway where they are.
Cyberbullying is another reason for restricting cell phone use. Nine in ten public schools report cyberbullying among students. A study conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center found that more than 34 percent of students age 12-17 have experienced cyberbullying, with many incidents occurring during school hours. Students’ mental health is endangered by these adverse online interactions.
But many parents lack the digital literacy skills to monitor their children’s phone use effectively. Parents often look to district leaders for guidance around limiting phone use.
Another downside to student cell phone use: students have used cell phones to cheat and phone access may be inhibiting students’ in-person interactions.
But cell phones have potential upsides. Connecticut teachers helped their state board understand the ways in which phone use supports the curriculum in real-time simulations and research. And what happens in classes when students don’t have access?” Policymakers need to consider students with medical conditions who need access to their cell phones and medical technology.
Leaders should create environments where technology serves learning but doesn’t disrupt it. Perhaps students use phones as a translation device or because it assists them with overcoming a disability
State boards are well positioned to create guardrails to help school districts make informed decisions. Members who have adopted cell phone policies say the most effective ones are working, flexible frameworks that evolve with input and accommodate ways to create robust, distraction-free classrooms without shutting the door on student, parent, teacher, and local needs.
Cell phone restrictions can restore focus, safety and well-being in classrooms. When paired with media literacy education and shaped by student, teacher, and parent input, these policies can create healthy learning environments without disregarding equity or access.
National Association of State Boards of Education
