Home/News & Views /Top 2025 Policy Trend: 28 States Commit to Phone-Free Classrooms and Schools
Top 2025 Policy Trend: 28 States Commit to Phone-Free Classrooms and Schools
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Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Smartphones are increasingly linked to adverse outcomes for young people. As a result, states in every corner of the nation are looking to improve focus in the classroom and foster distraction-free learning environments in schools.
Prior to 2025, several leading states took legislative action to mitigate issues stemming from student distraction. Today, more than 30 states and Washington D.C. have phone-free policies for schools and classrooms.
Why States Are Adopting Policies to Establish Phone-Free Schools
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data suggest a strong correlation between high screen time and lower academic performance, particularly in mathematics. Causal research supports this claim. The presence of cell phones in classrooms disrupts the learning process, as evidenced by declining test scores and increasing reports of classroom distractions, with low-income students most affected.
Ninety percent of teachers support device restrictions during instructional time, reporting that cell phones are a major classroom distraction. For example, research shows that 97% of students use phones at school, with 50% receiving upwards of 200 notifications daily.
Why are schools prohibiting cell phone use in 2025? Cell phone use is linked with poor academic performance, particularly in mathematics.
Which states have implemented phone-free classroom policies? To date, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin have implemented phone-free classroom policies.
How do phone-free policies affect student learning outcomes? A study following Florida’s initial 2023 distraction-free learning policy shows improved student test scores and school attendance along with an increase in student suspensions in the short term. A survey of more than 20,000 public school educators released in October 2025 links stricter cell phone policies to less in-class phone use and higher teacher satisfaction.
28 States Commit to Phone-Free Classrooms and Schools
Amid the growing concerns about the effects of distractions in the classroom and social media on youth mental health, leaders across the country championed policies to create distraction- free environments and improve students’ ability to focus on learning. In 2025, more than half of all states considered proposals to reduce the use of personal electronic devices in schools.
The push in 2025 to create distraction-free learning environments builds off the momentum of a number of states in recent years that have enacted phone-free policies. Ultimately, 28 states adopted phone-free policies, impacting more than 21.7 million students nationwide.
States that passed distraction-free schools and classroom policies in 2025.
Below is a summary of each state action:
Alabama: Alabama lawmakers enacted HB 166 on student cell phone use with reasonable exceptions. The statewide bell-to-bell policy also promotes digital literacy by requiring the Alabama Department of Education to offer a social media safety course, helping navigate technology responsibly and remain focused on learning.
Alaska: Alaska lawmakers passed HB 57 directing school districts to regulate student cell phone use. If districts do not create policies, the use of cell phones is automatically prohibited during class time, lunch and passing periods.
Arizona: Arizona’s HB 248 establishes phone-free school policies statewide. Schools must restrict student cell phone use during instructional hours, except for emergencies or educational activities.
Arkansas: Arkansas’s Bell to Bell, No Cell Act (SB 142) prohibits cell phone use throughout the school day in public schools. The policy provides exceptions for emergencies and medical needs. The Bell to Bell, No Cell Act improves on a 2024 pilot that allowed schools to use state funding to purchase phone pouches and lockers.
Colorado: Colorado lawmakers passed HB 25-1135, which requires charter schools and local school boards to develop policies that limit the use of student cell phones during the school day.
Florida: In 2025, Florida expanded its statewide instructional time policy with the passage of HB 1105, which provides for a bell-to-bell, distraction-free learning environment in all K-8 schools and a pilot program with data collection requirements in select high schools.
Georgia: Georgia’s Distraction Free Education Act (HB 340) prohibits the use of cell phones and other personal devices for K-8 students. This bill ensures K-8 students do not have access to their personal electronic devices during the school day.
Idaho: Idaho enacted SB 1032, which has a distraction-free learning policy empowering school districts and charter schools to adopt rules limiting the use of personal electronic devices during school hours. The law takes a flexible approach empowering local districts to craft polices that align with school communities.
Iowa: Iowa lawmakers passed HF 782 requiring school districts to adopt policies limiting student use of personal electronic devices during classroom instructional hours. Exemptions are provided for students who have an individual education program or 504 plan.
Kentucky: Kentucky established cell phone-free classrooms statewide with HB 208, which directs school districts to limit student cell phone use during instructional time. Teachers may allow devices for instructional purposes.
Missouri: Missouri lawmakers took action to create distraction-free learning environments in public schools through SB 68, which allows for policies limiting student cell phone use during the school day and flexibility for emergencies.
Nebraska: Nebraska’s distraction-free learning environment law (LB 140) prohibits the use of personal devices during the school day unless explicitly allowed for instructional purposes.
Nevada: Nevada lawmakers passed SB 444 requiring school districts to create policies that limit student use of electronic devices during instructional time.
New Hampshire: New Hampshire’s HB 2 requires school districts and charter schools to adopt bell-to-bell policies that limit device use during the school day.
New Mexico: New Mexico lawmakers passed SB 11, which allows school districts and charter schools to implement rules restricting student use of wireless communication devices. The policies, which apply to instructional hours, must be publicly posted and tailored to each district’s needs.
New York: New York’s phone-free schools law (a provision of the FY 2026 state budget) ensures productive learning environments for students and educators with a bell-to-bell policy for K-12 schools. Schools must publish annual reports detailing the enforcement of the locally adopted policy.
North Carolina: North Carolina’s distraction-free classroom policy in HB 959 directs districts to incorporate social media literacy into their curriculum, adopt internet safety policies and create a policy to ensure phone-free classrooms.
North Dakota: North Dakota lawmakers passed HB 1160 requiring school districts to implement bell-to-bell policies that limit student device use during the school day. Cell phones must be securely stowed away, and districts must collect data to measure the impact of policies.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma provided for distraction-free learning environments in SB 139 by directing public schools to adopt policies restricting student use of personal electronic devices during the school day. Exceptions apply for emergencies and documented medical or educational needs.
Oregon: Oregon’s Executive Order 25-09 prohibits cell phone use during the instructional day in K-12 schools. Allowances can be made for individual students to keep their cell phones during the day, including for medical reasons or to support students with disabilities who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Rhode Island: Rhode Island lawmakers passed S 771 directing districts to create bell-to-bell policies that prohibit the use of personal electronic devices during the entirety of the school day.
South Carolina: South Carolina legislators renewed their commitment to phone-free schools with a provision in the state’s budget (H 4025) tying the requirement for distraction-free schools to receiving certain state funds.
Tennessee: Tennessee’s distraction-free schools policy in HB 932 prohibits student cell phone use during instructional time in charter school and public schools. Exemptions apply for learning activities, IEP accommodations or emergencies. The policy also requires schools to establish clear processes for contacting parents in emergencies.
Texas: Texas lawmakers passed HB 1481 requiring districts to implement cell phone-free policies throughout the school day with exceptions for medical and safety needs.
Utah: Utah lawmakers enacted a statewide policy in SB 178 to reduce classroom distractions by prohibiting the use of personal devices like phones and smartwatches during instructional time.
Vermont: Vermont’s distraction-free schools policy in H 480 directs districts to adopt bell-to-bell phone free policies. Exceptions to the policy include students who have an IEP, 504 plan or limited use for school-related activities.
West Virginia: West Virginia’s lawmakers passed HB 2003 prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices during instructional time. The policy allows for limited exceptions, including for students with documented medical needs or disabilities.
Wisconsin: Wisconsin’s AB 2 requires school boards to adopt distraction-free classroom policies. The law has exceptions that allow students to use their phones in case of emergency.
Action taken by the states above reflects both the momentum behind phone-free policies and the commitment of states and lawmakers to creating distraction-free learning environments.
ExcelinEd in Action actively engaged in legislation in 24 states.
What’s Next for 2026 and Beyond
Looking ahead to 2026, we can expect additional states to recognize the value of adopting distraction-free learning policies. As the evidence suggests, limiting digital distractions allows students to focus during instructional time and supports their well-being. States with existing distraction-free learning policies during instructional time may begin to shift toward bell-to-bell policies that require students to be device- and phone-free throughout the entire school day.
Dive Deeper into Distraction-Free Learning Policies with These Resources
Listen to episode 6 of the ExcelinEd Podcast, Policy Changes Lives, where host Adriana Harrington sits down with South Carolina Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver to discuss the state’s efforts to create phone-free schools. In 2024, South Carolina became one of the first states in the nation to include a cell phone provision in its budget. South Carolina’s policy requires districts to prohibit the use of personal communication devices—like phones, smartwatches, tablets and gaming devices—during the school day.
Ashley DeMauro Mullins is the National Legislative Director for ExcelinEd in Action. In this role, Ashley manages the organization’s Legislative Affairs team and works with leaders and lawmakers from across the states to promote student-centered solutions.
