Cellphones

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

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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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High school students eat lunch in the cafeteria on Dec. 5, 2025, in Spokane, Wash. While most states are banning cellphone use in school, one Connecticut district is pushing lawmakers to turn down a statewide ban.
High school students eat lunch in the cafeteria on Dec. 5, 2025, in Spokane, Wash., while looking at their phones. While most states have passed restrictions on student cellphone use in school, leaders in one Connecticut district want their state lawmakers to turn down a statewide, "bell-to-bell" ban.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Ed-Tech Policy These School Leaders Don’t Want a Statewide Cellphone Ban. Here's Why
As lawmakers consider a student cellphone ban, leaders of one district want to set their own policy.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, February 23, 2026
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3 min read
Students at Glover Middle School in Spokane, Wash. make bookmarks and snowflakes during Falcon Time on Dec. 3, 2025.
Students at Glover Middle School in Spokane, Wash. make bookmarks and snowflakes during Falcon Time on Dec. 3, 2025. The district has sought to encourage students to spend less time on devices.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Q&A Cellphones: The 'Most Formidable Adversary' Schools Have Ever Faced
The Spokane schools in Washington paired cellphone restrictions with expanded extracurricular activities.
Alyson Klein, February 20, 2026
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5 min read
Tue., February 17, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
Student Well-Being & Movement K-12 Essentials Forum How Schools Are Teaching Students Life Skills
Join this free virtual event to explore creative ways schools have found to seamlessly integrate teaching life skills into the school day.
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February 17, 2026
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 Opinion What’s the Right Way to Limit Phones in School?
A public health expert weighs in on how schools can cultivate healthy tech habits.
Rick Hess, February 17, 2026
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8 min read
U.S. Map. This illustration is based on the image of modern society. Cellphones policy.
iStock/Getty
Ed-Tech Policy How Strong Are States' Student Cellphone Restrictions? New Analysis Grades Them
Report about all 50 states brings a changing policy landscape into focus.
Arianna Prothero, January 28, 2026
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5 min read
Students enter school in Spokane, Wash. on Dec. 3, 2025. Most teens surveyed said their school’s cellphone restrictions have had no impact on “making friends.”
Students enter school in Spokane, Wash. on Dec. 3, 2025, with a posted reminder of the cellphone ban. In a new survey, most teens said their school’s cellphone restrictions have had no impact on “making friends.”
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Ed-Tech Policy How Cellphone Bans Have Affected Students' Lives: What Teens Say
A new survey asked teenagers if the restrictions affected their happiness and ability to make friends.
Olina Banerji, January 28, 2026
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4 min read
Students celebrate at the end of basketball club at Adams Elementary School on Dec. 5, 2025.
Students celebrate at the end of basketball club at Adams Elementary School on Dec. 5, 2025. The Spokane district has significantly invested in extracurriculars to help limit students' screen time, and their elementary schools are no exception.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement ‘Great Lifelong Habits’: How This District Is Keeping Young Kids Off Screens
Can a massive expansion of extracurricular activities help build social-emotional skills in early grades?
Alyson Klein, January 26, 2026
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6 min read
Natalie Marshall chats with a North Central High School student athlete on a field trip to Glover Middle School on Dec. 4, 2025.
Natalie Marshall chats with a North Central High School student athlete on a field trip to Glover Middle School on Dec. 4, 2025.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Video How This District Is Shrinking Students’ Screen Time—After the School Day Ends
Engagement navigators in this district help students take advantage of the many available extracurriculars.
Kaylee Domzalski & Alyson Klein, January 26, 2026
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2:34
Students at Glover Middle School in Spokane, Wash. sing karaoke during Falcon Time on Dec. 3, 2025.
Students at Glover Middle School in Spokane, Wash., sing karaoke during Falcon Time on Dec. 3, 2025. The district has gone all-in on engaging extracurriculars and activities.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement One District's Battle to Curb Cellphones and Get Kids to Engage in Real Life
Spokane's leaders are pushing extracurriculars to help students strengthen in-person social skills.
Alyson Klein, January 26, 2026
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12 min read
Teacher on cellphone in classroom with blurred students in background.
Education Week and Getty
Ed-Tech Policy Teachers Like Cellphone Bans—But Not for Themselves
Teachers say they need to use their phones for their work, but some administrators want rules in place.
Olina Banerji, January 23, 2026
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3 min read
Hand holding sieve to filter truth from lies, facts from fakes. Concept of media literacy, fake news detection, and critical thinking in digital age.
iStock/Getty
Classroom Technology More States Are Pairing Cellphone Bans With Media Literacy Instruction
Students need to develop the skills to critically analyze the content they view on their phones.
Alyson Klein, January 21, 2026
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2 min read
Group of students holding cell phones in their hands.
iStock/Getty
Classroom Technology How Do Teens Feel About Cellphone Bans? You Might Be Surprised
A survey by the Pew Research Center provides a window into what students think of cellphone bans.
Arianna Prothero, January 16, 2026
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4 min read
Image of students using laptops in the classroom.
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Classroom Technology Should Schools Curtail the Use of Technology? Congress Fuels Debate
Experts told lawmakers ed tech hurts student mental health without improving learning outcomes.
Alyson Klein & Lauraine Langreo, January 15, 2026
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9 min read
Middle school students in Spokane, Wash., are allowed to use their cellphones before they enter the building.
Middle school students in Spokane, Wash., are allowed to use their cellphones before they enter school buildings. While Washington state doesn't have a statewide mandate, at least 33 other states and the District of Columbia require school districts to ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones in schools, according to an Education Week tally.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Classroom Technology What the Research Says How Much Time Do Teens Spend on Their Phones During School?
Teenagers' most-used apps are social media, video, and gaming.
Lauraine Langreo & Gina Tomko, January 14, 2026
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4 min read
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