California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed the Phone-Free School Act, which mandates that every school district, charter school and county office of education to adopt a policy limiting or prohibiting the use of smartphones by July 1, 2026.
The governor says in a news release that limiting the use of smartphones in schools will help students focus on academics.
“We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues – but we have the power to intervene," Newsom says. "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 says the development of school smartphone policies will involve significant stakeholder participation to ensure they are responsive to the needs of students, parents and educators. The policies must allow students to use their phones in the case of an emergency, or in response to a perceived threat of danger, or as allowed by a teacher, administrator, doctor or the student’s individualized education program.
Excessive smartphone use among youth has been linked to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns, the governor says. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 72% of high school teachers and 33% of middle school teachers say that cell phone distractions as a major problem.
