California schools must curb student phone use under new law

School districts in California will have to create rules restricting student smartphone use under a new law that the state’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, signed on Monday.

The law requires districts to pass rules by 1 July 2026 to limit or ban students from using smartphones on campus or while they are under the supervision of school staff. Districts will have to update their policies every five years after that.

The legislation makes California the latest state to try to curb student phone access in an effort to minimize distractions in the classroom and address the mental health impacts of social media on children.

“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.

Florida, Louisiana, Indiana and several other states have passed laws aimed at restricting student phone use at school. New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul, said in May that she would support banning smartphones in the state’s schools. The Los Angeles unified school district, the second-largest in the US, voted to ban student phone use during the school day beginning in January.

Leave a Comment