A new scorecard rating school cellphone policies nationwide gave Washington state and four others a failing grade. Washington lacks statewide rules setting limits on phone use in the classroom and on campus, allowing districts to set their own policies.
The rankings, first covered by Axios, evaluated states on how strictly they limit phone use during the school day. Four states received “A” grades — North Dakota, Kansas, Rhode Island and Indiana — for requiring that cellphones are fully inaccessible during the entire school day, or “bell-to-bell.”
Here’s how the rest broke out in the Phone-Free Schools State Report Card:
- The 19 states earning a “B” have all-day restrictions on phone use, but the devices are stored in lockers or backpacks, making them potentially accessible.
- The eight states with “C” grades have rules that restrict phone use during instructional time only.
- The nine “D” states require policies, but don’t say what those rules should include.
- Four states have pending legislation and didn’t receive a grade.
Within Washington, OSPI reports that 53% of districts in the state have policies limiting smart devices during instructional time only, while 31% required phones to be stored from bell-to-bell.
At the local level, Seattle Public Schools has not issued a district-wide policy, though at least three public middle schools in the district have banned phones at school, and at least one high school prohibits their use during classes.
The urgency behind these policies is backed by recent research. A study published in January from the University of Washington School of Medicine and others found that U.S. adolescents ages 13–18 spend more than one hour per day on phones during school hours, with “addictive” social media apps accounting for the largest share of use.
Despite mounting concern, Washington has moved cautiously on the issue. Last month, legislators passed a law requiring the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to study the issue, produce a report on district policies, review research on phone impacts, and gather student input on regulations. The analysis is due at the end of 2027.
The UW’s Youth Advisory Board, a group of approximately 20 teens from Seattle-area schools, recently published a memo tackling the contentious issue of phones in school. The document weighs the pros and cons of phone bans and offers recommendations on how schools should draft and communicate their policies.
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