<div>Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free School Act into law on Sept. 23, requiring all schools to establish and enforce a policy to restrict phones starting July 1, 2026. “I think the phone policies in classrooms are not consistent, and that’s probably what’s causing more frustration in the classrooms,” said AP Statistics teacher Shad Emam. “We should expand the restrictive phone policies, but we need to find systems that more teachers can execute consistently and authentically.”The Legislature believes that unrestricted phone use interferes with education, saying that it “lowers pupil performance, particularly among low-achieving pupils.” The Legislature goes on to cite multiple studies and research that have shown an increase in test scores and academic performance among schools that have banned phone use.“Restrictive phone policies are a necessary evil to prevent distractions,” said senior Ethan Fujimura-Engstrom. “Although phone usage is only at the detriment of the student using them and is not necessarily disruptive to the class, laptops have more prominent screens and can distract the people around them and should be included in restrictive policy making.”Additionally, the Legislature highlights the relationship between phone use and mental health, saying that it “promotes cyberbullying, and contributes to an increase in teenage anxiety, depression, and suicide.”As a result, school districts must develop a policy to limit phone use with the goal of promoting “evidence-based use of smartphone practices to support pupil learning and well-being” by July 1, 2026, and will need to update the policy every five years. Some phone use is still protected, such as when there is an emergency or when students are granted permission or an exception.“It’s going to require a lot of teacher feedback and admin support to execute,” said Emam. </div>

Mountain View, CA

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New California law to restrict phones on campus

Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free School Act into law on Sept. 23, requiring all schools to establish and enforce a policy to restrict phones starting July 1, 2026. “I think the phone policies in classrooms are not consistent, and that’s probably what’s causing more frustration in the classrooms,” said AP Statistics teacher Shad Emam. “We should expand the restrictive phone policies, but we need to find systems that more teachers can execute consistently and authentically.”