Cell phones have become a near-universal part of growing up. Most kids have them, and if they don’t, they probably pressure their parents to get one. But that reality is increasingly being challenged inside public schools.

According to an Education Week tracker, 31 states plus Washington, D.C. now restrict or ban student cell phone use during at least part of the school day. Support for stricter policies is also growing among educators. A 2020–2024 American Association of Educators survey found 70 percent of teachers favor banning cell phones for the entire school day.

The issue is now front and center in Michigan, where a bipartisan bill passed overwhelmingly in the state House and is currently under consideration in the state Senate. Momentum is also building in Washington, where lawmakers recently examined the impact of screens and personal devices on children during a U.S. Senate hearing.

During that hearing, Dr. Jared Horvath, a former teacher and cognitive neuroscientist, warned lawmakers that technology in classrooms often undermines learning.

“When tech enters education, learning goes down,” Horvath testified.

He argued that the issue goes beyond smartphones alone.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a phone, if it’s a laptop, if it’s a desktop, and it doesn’t matter who bought it,” Horvath said. “Is it school-sanctioned? Does it have the word ‘education’ stamped on it? It doesn’t matter. All of these things are also going to hurt learning, which in turn hurts kids’ cognitive development.”

Researchers and educators say the consequences aren’t limited to academics. A growing body of research suggests heavy screen use can harm children’s social development as well.

A recent Gothamist headline captured the shift underway in New York City schools: “New York school phone ban has made lunch loud again.” The article describes cafeterias once dominated by silent scrolling now filled with conversation.

Emily Cherkin, a faculty member at the University of Washington, also testified before the Senate, pushing back on claims that early and constant tech use prepares children for the future.

“Doesn’t technology make our lives easier and prepare our children for the future? Unfortunately, no,” Cherkin said, “in spite of the rosy claims made by technology companies.”

She shared troubling examples from educators and therapists.

“Occupational therapists tell me they have to teach young children how to turn the pages of a book,” Cherkin said. “Preschool teachers report that toddlers don’t like getting their hands dirty anymore. I know one teen so addicted to his phone he seals it into a Ziploc bag and brings it into the shower with him.”

Advocates for phone-free schools say today’s bans may one day be viewed the same way as past public-health reversals.

Kim Whitman, co-lead of Smartphone Free Childhood U.S., told CBN News she believes the shift will mirror the 1994 federal law that banned smoking in schools.

“I think in five to ten years we’ll be asking, ‘What were we thinking?'” Whitman said.

She added, “Within the next decade, we’re going to look back and be shocked that we ever allowed smartphones in schools—just like we once allowed smoking lounges on school grounds. They’re both health-harming products, and they’re destroying kids’ ability to focus, their health, and their well-being.”

How these bans are enforced varies by state and school district. Some schools require students to place phones in locking pouches that remain sealed until the end of the day. Others use wall-mounted classroom phone caddies, where devices are stored during class and retrieved afterward. Another approach involves locking phones in lockers or secure boxes for the entire school day.

Beyond teacher support, many of these policies have been met with approval from parents who want their children to thrive both academically and socially. Students, however, are generally less enthusiastic.