Across the United States and the United Kingdom, a new wave of legislation is transforming how students interact with technology during the school day. In recent months, states like California, Kansas, and Maine, alongside the UK government, have moved to restrict or outright ban the use of smartphones and other personal electronic devices in schools. The push, fueled by concerns about student mental health, academic performance, and the addictive nature of social media, is reshaping daily life for millions of young people—and sparking spirited debate among educators, students, and policymakers.
In California, Assembly Bill 2071, introduced on April 20, 2026, marks a significant shift in the state’s approach to digital wellness. Rather than simply banning devices, the bill requires schools to teach students about healthy screen habits, the influence of algorithms and AI, and safe social media interactions. The legislation, authored with input from Orange County student Elise Choi, is a direct response to mounting evidence—and anxiety—over the impact of social media on youth mental health. The bill passed a committee hearing on April 13 and is widely expected to sail through the Legislature with bipartisan support, according to EdSource.
“It’s powerful to have students at the center of policy change when it comes to education legislation,” Elise Choi told EdSource. “It’s important because we are the ultimate stakeholders, and these issues affect us and our future.”
The bill’s timing is no accident. It follows recent court verdicts that found tech giants Meta and Google liable for designing addictive features that endanger children online. Elise, a junior at the Orange County School of the Arts and a member of student coalition GENup, described the bill as a long-overdue measure that prioritizes student well-being over parental anxieties. If enacted, the California Department of Education must develop a digital wellness curriculum by January 2028, ensuring all students—regardless of background—learn to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.
State Assemblymember Josh Hoover, who introduced the bill, emphasized that digital wellness education is meant to complement, not replace, existing cellphone bans in schools. “Now, students are realizing how much the screen time and the social media use really does impact their well-being,” Hoover said. “And they’re actually getting excited about making changes and helping their peers actually improve their health as well.”
Other states are taking a more direct approach. In Kansas, Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2299 into law in March 2026, mandating a strict “bell-to-bell” ban on cell phones and similar devices in all K-12 schools by September 2026. The law requires that devices be turned off and kept out of easy reach throughout the school day, a move designed to reduce distractions and bolster mental health. At Iola High School, Principal Scott Carson is already preparing for the transition, though he admits the logistics are challenging. “They won’t be allowed here at all,” Carson told The Iola Register. “Bell to bell—from 8 to 3:30.”
The requirement that devices not be "easily accessible" complicates matters, as traditional storage options like backpacks or easily accessed lockers are not permitted. Secure pouches, which cost around $30 each, present a financial hurdle, especially since the law does not include funding for storage solutions. “You don’t want to spend money and then all of a sudden, the guidelines change,” Carson said, noting that districts statewide are still discussing options and awaiting further guidance.
Meanwhile, in Maine, a similar statewide ban will take effect for the 2026-2027 school year. The policy, signed into law as part of the supplemental budget, prohibits the use of cellphones and wearable electronic devices during the school day in all schools. Bangor High School, which piloted a partial phone ban this year, has already seen a dramatic improvement. “Their grades have gone up in my classes. They’ve turned in more projects. They’re paying attention. They’re focusing,” said Eric Hutchins, a graphic arts teacher at Bangor High, in an interview with WABI. Principal Paul Butler added, “We want kids to have every opportunity to be engaged in classrooms. Devices can get in the way.”
Students at Bangor initially approached the new rules with skepticism but quickly adapted. Butler noted that after visiting around 30 classrooms recently, he observed zero device-related disruptions—a stark contrast to previous years. The law calls for the Maine Department of Education to develop a model policy, but implementation will ultimately be left to local school boards, raising questions about consistency and enforcement.
The movement isn’t limited to the United States. On April 20, 2026, the UK government announced plans to introduce a legal ban on smartphones in schools in England through an amendment to the landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith told the House of Lords that the amendment would create a “clear legal requirement for schools” to ban phones during the school day, building on guidance already in place. Schools’ mobile phone policies will be monitored as part of Ofsted inspections starting April 2026, according to the BBC.
The UK’s approach allows for some flexibility: potential exemptions are planned for sixth form students, those in boarding schools, and students who use phones as medical devices. The details of implementation remain to be seen, but the Department for Education has made it clear that “mobile phones have no place in schools” and that most already prohibit them in practice. The Liberal Democrats and the Association of School and College Leaders have called for additional funding to help schools manage secure storage and for tougher regulation of social media use outside school hours.
These legislative efforts reflect a growing recognition that simply banning devices is not a panacea. As Kelly Mendoza, a senior education leader at Media Education Lab and expert consultant on California’s digital wellness bill, explained to EdSource, “Phone-free schools can reduce screen time or potentially reduce behavioral issues that can happen at school, but that doesn’t teach students healthy media use, decision-making and self-regulation.” Mendoza argues that structured digital wellness instruction is essential, not only to mitigate risks like cyberbullying and addiction but also to help students harness the positive potential of technology—connecting with healthy communities and developing critical digital skills.
Even as policymakers grapple with the best path forward, student voices remain central. Elise Choi, reflecting on her own experience, said, “We’re not anti-tech. We’re for education, and we have to be balanced with technology, because it can be good and also inescapable.”
As the 2026-2027 school year approaches, the true impact of these sweeping changes will become clear. For now, educators, parents, and students alike are preparing for a new era—one in which the smartphone is no longer a constant classroom companion, but digital literacy and wellness are front and center.