Washington state gets F on school cellphone policy
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Washington's lack of a statewide cellphone ban in schools has earned it a failing grade from several national advocacy groups.
Why it matters: Teachers say smartphones distract students and disrupt their education, and some research links school cellphone bans to better academic outcomes.
The latest: An updated state-by-state report card gives Washington an F for its policy on student cellphone use, criticizing state legislators for not including new restrictions in a law they passed last month.
- That law instead directs the state superintendent's office to recommend best practices for restricting cellphone use and send them to the Legislature by December 2027.
Context: The groups that publish the report card — Anxious Generation, Smartphone Free Childhood US, Institute for Families and Technology and the Becca Schmill Foundation — view a complete ban on cellphone use during the school day as the "gold standard."
- Only four other states — Connecticut, Maryland, Mississippi and South Dakota — received failing grades.
What they're saying: "The time for a study has passed," Lina Nealon of the Institute for Families and Technology said in a news release.
- "Washington is ignoring the extensive evidence on the academic, health, and relational benefits of freeing students from personal devices for the entirety of the school day."
- State Superintendent Chris Reykdal has also criticized the Legislature's inaction, telling TVW this month, "We are behind."
Yes, but: Research on school phone bans is still evolving, with some studies showing inconclusive effects on students' mental health.
The other side: State Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), who sponsored Washington's new law, told Axios he agrees that "bell to bell" restrictions have "the best results for learning" — but "the votes weren't there yet" in the Legislature.
- "I view this as the bare minimum," Liias said.
State of play: Some Washington school districts have adopted districtwide restrictions, while others leave cellphone policies up to individual schools.
- Seattle Public Schools falls into the latter camp, although several Seattle campuses now require phones to be put away for most or all of the day.
What's next: Seattle Public Schools superintendent Ben Shuldiner is expected to address student cellphone use at a board meeting April 29.