School Phone Ban by State
Every US state's rule on phones in school, from bell-to-bell bans to "districts decide", with the law, the grades and the school year it starts.
As of 16 October 2026, 37 US states and DC have a binding statewide rule on phones in school, and 23 of those states plus DC ban them for the whole school day ("bell to bell"). Massachusetts, Mississippi and Pennsylvania have no statewide rule.
School Phone Ban by State
Frequently asked
Which states have a bell-to-bell school phone ban?
Among them Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia (K-8 now, high school from July 2027), Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Vermont and Virginia, plus DC public schools. Some, such as Maryland's and Illinois's, start in later school years.
Does Texas ban phones in school?
Yes. HB 1481, signed on 20 June 2025, bans personal devices on school property during the school day in public and open-enrollment charter schools from the 2025-26 school year.
Does California ban phones in schools?
California's Phone-Free Schools Act (AB 3216) requires every district to adopt a policy limiting or prohibiting phones at school by 2026-27. The district decides how strict.
Why do trackers give different numbers of states?
Because they count different things: whether a governor's encouragement counts, whether a law that has passed but not yet started counts, and whether a class-time-only rule counts as a ban. This table shows each state's actual rule so you can see the difference.
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