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Across the United States, more schools are implementing policies restricting cell phones as concerns about , and rise.

The scale of the issue is significant. According to a 2023 report from , 97% of students between the ages of 11 and 17 use their cell phones at least once during the school day. These students spend a median of 43 minutes online each day during school hours. Social media, YouTube and gaming were the students' top cell phone uses.

Schools have already begun taking action. Data from the published in 2025 shows that 77% of public schools ban cell phones during classes. Thirty-eight percent of schools have cell phone policies that restrict use outside of class as well—including during free periods, between classes or during extracurricular activities.

Policymakers in different states and educators in school districts across the country are putting into place a variety of solutions. Some rely on partial restrictions, while others enforce complete bans.

Many are still searching for the balance between technology access and minimizing distraction.

What is clear, however, is that cell phones have become one of the central issues shaping today's classroom environment.

The role of technology in the classroom

As researchers and professors who study for teaching and learning—and who are also parents of school-aged children—we firmly believe that digital technologies are no longer optional add-ons. They have become indispensable in modern classrooms, acting as versatile instruments for instruction, collaboration and student engagement.

Take, for example, the ongoing shift . This transformation has broadened access and created new opportunities for . Abundant evidence demonstrates the in supporting students' engagement in class and their academic performance.

Students' access to digital devices has improved significantly as schools across the United States continue investing in technology infrastructure. A indicates that 94% to 95% of public schools now provide devices to students who need them—although disparities exist between states.

A growing number of districts are adopting , ensuring that every student has access to a personal device such as a laptop or tablet. These initiatives accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic made clear the need for reliable access to learning technologies in schools for all students. They highlight the central role technology now plays in shaping everyday classroom instruction.

These technologies hold great educational potential. Yet, when not integrated thoughtfully and regulated effectively, they can inadvertently reduce focus and undermine learning.

Our recent , which synthesized 26 empirical studies, finds three main drivers of distraction among students:

• Technology-related factors included constant social networking, texting and cell phone addiction. These accounted for over half of the reported distractions.
• Personal needs, such as entertainment, made up more than one-third.
• Instructional environment, including classroom instruction that isn't engaging, poor classroom management and difficult course content, accounted for the rest.

To address these challenges, the authors of the papers we reviewed suggested strategies such as teaching students how to control their own behavior and focus, silencing notifications, issuing clear device policies or banning devices.

The studies in our review also drew a clear distinction between school-provided and personally owned mobile devices. Devices provided by schools are typically equipped for instructional purposes, enhanced with stronger security and designed to restrict distracting uses. Personal devices are far less regulated and more prone to off-task use.

As schools increasingly provide devices designed for learning, the role of personal cell phones in classrooms becomes harder to justify as they present more risks of distraction than educational benefits.

Laws and policies regarding cell phone use

Several states in the U.S. have passed laws banning or restricting cell phone use in schools, with some notable differences.

States vary in how they define wireless communication devices. In Michigan, , passed in May 2025, describes a wireless communication device as an "electronic device capable of, but not limited to, text messaging, voice communication, entertainment, navigation, accessing the internet, or producing email."

While most of the states have several technology types listed under wireless communication devices, a Colorado bill passed in May 2025 clearly identified that laptops and tablets did not fall under .

Most state laws don't specify whether the bans apply to both personally owned devices and school-owned devices. passed in July 2025, which clearly specifies its ban refers only to personal devices.

made exceptions in a bill approved in July 2025, allowing students to use wireless communication devices for instructional purposes. Other exceptions in the North Carolina bill include an emergency, when students' individual education programs call for it, and a documented medical condition.

In their bills, most states provide recommendations for school districts to create cell phone use policy for their students. To take one typical example, the policy for Wake County in North Carolina, , specifically refers to personal wireless communication devices. For elementary and middle school students, they must be silenced and put away between morning and afternoon bells, either in a backpack or locker. For high school students, teachers may allow them to be used for lessons, but they must otherwise be silenced and put away during instructional time. They can be used on school buses with low volume and headphones.

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