Washington Governor and Schools Chief Move to Ban Student Cellphones Statewide During School Day

Under the proposed legislation, students would be prohibited from using phones and other smart devices throughout the entire school day, including lunch periods and passing time between classes. Exemptions would be provided for students with documented health needs and those with specific accommodations in their education plans.

The proposal draws on a substantial body of national data. In the United States, 95% of teenagers own smartphones and 97% of those students use them during school. Research shows the average teenager spends roughly a quarter of the school day on their phone, the equivalent of more than 41 lost instructional days across the course of a year. One third of public school teachers nationally describe student phone distraction as a major problem in their classroom, according to Pew Research Center. Studies consistently link school-day phone use to reduced learning, diminished focus, worse attendance, and poorer mental and emotional health outcomes.

Washington currently receives a failing grade from a national report card on state-level cellphone policy, a reflection of the inconsistency across districts. About 75% of Washington school districts already have some form of cellphone restriction, but the extent of those policies varies significantly. The governor’s proposal would bring all districts under a single consistent standard.

Ferguson and Reykdal said the ban is a top priority. Ferguson’s office plans to spend the next three months traveling the state to gather input from students, teachers, and other stakeholders on enforcement mechanisms, support needs for districts, the scope of allowable exemptions, and how emergency communication would be handled under the new policy. A detailed proposal is expected by 15 September, with the formal Governor Request Bill set to be prefiled on 7 December when the prefiling window opens. Under the proposed timeline, school districts would implement the policy in September 2027.