Ed-Tech Policy Video

What Makes an Effective School Cellphone Policy? An Overview

By Lauraine Langreo & Lauren Santucci — January 2, 2025 2:22
A ninth grader places her cellphone in to a phone holder as she enters class at Delta High School, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Delta, Utah. At the rural Utah school, there is a strict policy requiring students to check their phones at the door when entering every class. Each classroom has a cellphone storage unit that looks like an over-the-door shoe bag with three dozen smartphone-sized slots.

Students’ cellphone use has been one of the hottest topics in K-12 in recent years—"cellphone ban” was even Education Week’s phrase of the year for 2024.

Most educators are tired of the constant distractions the devices cause in classrooms. To address concerns around mental health and academic performance, districts across the country are limiting when and where students can use their personal devices.

Here, Education Week reporter Lauraine Langreo gives a rundown of how schools, districts, and states are addressing students’ cellphone use and the challenges that come with it.

Lauraine Langreo is an Education Week staff writer, covering education technology and learning environments.
Lauren Santucci is a video producer for Education Week.
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