Seattle Public Schools Bans Student Phones District-Wide Starting 4 May

The policy does not require school board approval because it is classified as a procedural change rather than a formal policy shift, allowing Shuldiner to move quickly and implement the ban without a vote. That speed has been welcomed by at least one board member who wants to go further. School board vice president Evan Briggs is already pushing to extend the full all-day ban to high school students by September. “The stricter the cellphone policy, the better the outcomes,” Briggs said.

Exceptions to the ban apply for students with medical needs or those with documented Individualised Education Program or Section 504 accommodations. Families who need to reach their children during the school day are asked to contact the school office directly rather than calling or texting students on their personal devices.

The move places Seattle among a growing number of school districts across the country taking an increasingly firm stance on student phone use, citing research linking excessive phone access during the school day to reduced academic performance, increased anxiety, and diminished social development.