California Limits Phone Usage For Upcoming School Year

Starting July 1, 2026, the “Phone Free School Act” takes effect, signed and passed by Governor Gavin Newsom, requiring every school district, county office of education, and every charter school to develop a policy to reduce and limit phone usage. 

While having this bill set, different schools have adopted different ways to limit students' using mobile devices.] 

Currently, John. F. Kennedy High School has already started having policies for phones, with many teachers choosing to either collect phones at the door, requiring phone pouches, or something similar. The bill will affect both students and educators, serving as the second step in Newsom’s plan to reduce cell phone use. Phone use has been cited as a distraction and limiting productivity in the classroom environment. The bill also acknowledges that parents and educators must allow youth to use their cell phones in case of an emergency or other related accident. First appearing in 2019, when Gov. Newsom signed AB272, allowing schools to regulate the usage of cell phones in the classroom.Studies have shown that excessive cell phone use among adolescents increases anxiety and depression by considerable amounts. Members of the education committee have attributed phones in classrooms to declining test scores, low attentiveness and overall poor work ethic.“It all started this year, all of us need to be collectively in agreement to do this in every class because what you don't want to have is inconsistent behavior and expectation.   I think we all have been more accustomed to electronic devices having an influence on having a conversation. I would rather [people] be self regulated and [have phones] be put away when a person is having a face to face conversation,” Dr. Fisher, JFK’s principal, expressed. Dr. Fisher explained that while some families believe students should have unrestricted access to their phones since they purchased them, the state’s new policy (set to take effect in the 2026–2027 school year) requires schools to start preparing now. e suggested that being proactive during the 2025–2026 school year would help address potential issues early, noting that some California districts already collect students’ phones at the start of the day and return them afterward, while others use less restrictive options like phone pouches.

California and seven other states have adopted new rules regarding cell phone use, along with 68 percent of adults actually supporting the phone ban in schools. While the bill has proven to be effective, it has also received negativity from parents citing gun violence in schools and lockdowns. Although the Bill requires schools to develop a system against phones, the specifications of the rules are up to the schools themselves. 

Gov. Newsom has stated his acclaim with what the Phone Free School Act has done for the education of the next generation, as it helps students better focus academically and make more in-person connections and conversations. 

Photo by Khanh Do | Teachers utilize phone pouches at school.