Cellphones

Learn more about cellphones in K-12 schools—whether they are being banned, used as instructional tools, or something in between

Tracker

cellphone distraction policy bans in schools static
Which States Ban or Restrict Cellphones in Schools?
See which states are requiring cellphone restrictions or bans in schools.
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Illustration of crossed out cellphone, equal sign and happy face.
F. Sheehan/Education Week + Getty
Teaching Profession Do Cellphone Bans Curb Teacher Burnout?
Researchers examined the impact on teachers in two middle schools.
Arianna Prothero, November 25, 2025
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4 min read
Stock photo of a group of diverse elementary students standing against a brick wall and typing on their cellphones.
iStock/Getty
Classroom Technology From Our Research Center Is There a Right Age for a Child’s First Cellphone? Educators Weigh In
Experts say there's no optimal age for giving students their first mobile phone.
Alyson Klein, November 19, 2025
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2 min read
A student in Saxon Brown's 9th grade honors English class works on a timeline for an assignment on To Kill A Mockingbird, including drawing some of the characters from the book, at Bel Air High School in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024.
A student in a 9th grade honors English class uses a cellphone to work on a timeline for an assignment on <i>To Kill A Mockingbird</i>, including drawing some of the characters from the book, at Bel Air High School in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024. Most states have started requiring restrictions to students' access to their phones during the school day, but Maryland does not have statewide restrictions.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Ed-Tech Policy Q&A Why a Good Cellphone Policy Is About More Than Just Restrictions
At least 32 states and the District of Columbia require districts to restrict students' cellphone use.
Lauraine Langreo, November 12, 2025
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5 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
Classroom Technology Opinion Do Cellphone Bans Really Fix Student Engagement?
Can schools offer a more compelling alternative to social media or AI?
Rick Hess, October 28, 2025
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5 min read
Student Audreanna Johnson views her cell phone near a cell phone locker at Ronald McNair Sr. High School on Aug. 7, 2025, in Atlanta.
Student Audreanna Johnson views her phone near a cellphone locker at Ronald McNair Sr. High School in Atlanta on Aug. 7, 2025. Principals say cellphone bans are improving student behavior, according to a RAND study.
Mike Stewart/AP
Ed-Tech Policy Why Most Principals Say Cellphone Bans Improve School Climate
Nearly 3 in 4 principals believe banning cellphones has big upsides.
Alyson Klein, October 27, 2025
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2 min read
Student Keiran George uses her cellphone as she steps outside the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts High School in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 13, 2024.
Student Keiran George uses her cellphone as she steps outside the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts High School in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 13, 2024. California last year approved limits on the use of the devices in schools.
Damian Dovarganes/AP
Ed-Tech Policy Do School Cellphone Bans Work? What Early Findings Tell Us
A pair of research projects look at the impact on discipline and academic achievement.
Arianna Prothero, October 24, 2025
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6 min read
Miami Arts Studio students, wearing green shirts for World Mental Health Day, gather around a table where members of the school's mental health club pass out information and give away stress balls and awareness-raising pins on Oct. 10, 2023, at the public 6th-12th grade magnet school in Miami.
Miami Arts Studio students, wearing green shirts for World Mental Health Day, gather around a table where members of the school's mental health club pass out information and give away stress balls and awareness-raising pins on Oct. 10, 2023, at the public 6th-12th grade magnet school in Miami. In a recent webinar, school leaders revealed problems their schools have faced, from student mental health to technology, and how they have addressed them.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
School & District Management How These Principals Are Solving the Thorniest K-12 Challenges
Principals from across the nation discuss AI, cellphone use, and the well-being of students.
Jennifer Vilcarino, October 23, 2025
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4 min read
Adults using their smartphones at work.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion There's a Generational Difference in How Teachers Use Cellphones
Mistaking this as generational fragility or resistance to professionalism is an oversimplification.
Meagan Booth, September 30, 2025
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4 min read
A stylized, faceless student has a smooth, open head with a glowing smartphone rising from it, symbolizing the smart phone and social media's impact on NAEP scores.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty Images
Standards & Accountability Opinion Student Test Scores Keep Falling. What’s Really to Blame?
There’s strong circumstantial evidence pointing to a particular culprit. (Hint: It’s not the pandemic.)
Martin R. West, September 9, 2025
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5 min read
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, speaks during the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago.
Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, speaks during the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. She resigned from the DNC this summer over its need to broaden its focus, and urged teachers' unions to reach out to educators with diverse views.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Teaching Profession Q&A AFT’s Randi Weingarten on Kids' Screen Time, AI, and Engaging Conservatives
The head of the American Federation of Teachers discusses political and technological challenges for teachers.
Sarah D. Sparks, July 28, 2025
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5 min read
Set of contemporary smartphones. Black and white mobile smartphones on dark background. Mobile phones in stack on dark table, top view
iStock/Getty Images
Ed-Tech Policy Most Students Now Face Cellphone Limits at School. What Happens Next?
New state policies to restrict cellphone use in schools are driven by bipartisan support.
Arianna Prothero & Lauraine Langreo, July 21, 2025
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9 min read
Cellphone wearing a sleep mask. Cellphone policy.
Irina Shatilova/iStock
Ed-Tech Policy How One Principal Got Kids to Pay Attention in Class
Utah principal Shauna Haney brought about one of the first classroom cellphone bans in the state.
Olina Banerji & Vanessa Solis, July 17, 2025
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2 min read
Photo collage of teenage girl using social media on cellphone.
Georgijevic / E+
Student Well-Being & Movement How Old Kids Are When They Get Their First Phone, According to a New Survey
The survey collected insights on smartphone use, social media habits, cyberbullying, and more among 11- to 13-year-olds.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, July 17, 2025
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3 min read
Telephone, Mobile Phone, Hand, Smart Phone, Social media, Engagement, Social Issues, Technology, The Media, Scrolling
iStock/Getty Images
Ed-Tech Policy Could a Digital Driver’s License Help Students Manage Their Cellphone Use?
Experts say that schools need to teach students healthy cellphone habits, even if their devices are banned at school.
Arianna Prothero, July 11, 2025
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5 min read
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