California schools required to restrict cellphone usage in classrooms

(SACRAMENTO) — School districts, county offices of education and charter schools in California will now be required to limit or ban the usage of smartphones in schools under a new state law after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill on Monday.

The new law requires schools to develop and put in place a plan to restrict or even ban cellphone usage in schools by July 1, 2026, and update it every five years.

“There is growing evidence that unrestricted use of smartphones by pupils at elementary and secondary schools during the school day interferes with the educational mission of the schools, lowers pupil performance, particularly among low-achieving pupils, promotes cyberbullying, and contributes to an increase in teenage anxiety, depression, and suicide,” the bill said.

“Research demonstrates that the use of cell phones by pupils during school operating hours can create significant distractions resulting in negative effects on their academic performance and mental health. Additionally, the presence of cell phones and related technologies in classrooms may not only detract from pupils’ academic performance, but also contribute to higher rates of academic dishonesty and cyberbullying,” the bill said.

Newsom had been calling for limits on student cellphone usage in schools for months.

“We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues – but we have the power to intervene. This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school,” Newsom said in a statement.

In an August letter to schools, he urged California lawmakers to restrict phone use. The Los Angeles Unified School District — the second largest district in the U.S. — and Santa Barbara Unified have already implemented restrictions on the use of cellphones in schools.

Students will still be allowed to use phones in cases of emergency or in response to threats of danger, with permission from a teacher or school administrator, if a doctor determines a student needs a smartphone for their health or wellbeing or if it is required as part of an individualized education program.

Newsom signed a bill in 2019 granting districts the authority to regulate the use of the devices during school hours.

Newsom previously argued that reducing the use of phones in class leads to improved concentration, better academic outcomes, and enhanced social interactions.

Public health leaders have recently said social media platforms are contributing to a mental health crisis among young people. Last June, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy called for a warning label to be added to social media platforms as they can be associated with significant mental health harm for adolescents.

Virginia also announced it will restrict cellphone use in public K-12 schools. Restrictions in that state are set to go into effect starting in 2025.