New National Report Grades All 50 States on Phone-Free Schools Policies

Report highlights states leading and falling behind on critical policy for students

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new national study, The Phone-Free Schools State Report Card, has been released today by leading child safety and well-being organizations.

The report, collaboratively produced by the Becca Schmill Foundation, the Institute for Families and Technology (IFT), Smartphone-Free Childhood US, and Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation, evaluates whether the laws in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., meet the gold standard for phone-free schools: policies requiring all students to store their personal electronic devices in secure, inaccessible locations for the entire school day (bell-to-bell). Bell-to-bell policies are proven to enhance academic performance, improve students' mental and physical health, increase teacher satisfaction, protect student safety and privacy, and deepen school community relationships. 

"With these report cards, we are making clear which states are setting students up to thrive and which states still have work to do," said Lina Nealon, IFT's Director of Strategic Partnerships and Report Card project lead. "While nearly every state has enacted some form of restrictions on phones at schools, many policies fall short—limited to class time, lacking clear guidance or enforcement, or carving out exemptions. As a result, millions of students are still not receiving the educational experience they deserve, despite overwhelming public support for freeing students from phones throughout the entire school day." 

According to a recent nationwide survey of 800 registered voters conducted by GQR and American Viewpoint on behalf of IFT, 91% of parents whose children attend bell-to-bell phone-free schools support the policy. The survey also found that more than 80% of voters support bell-to-bell phone policies.

"The good news is that there's a clear, achievable path for states to achieve a better grade this legislative session: adopting bell-to-bell phone-free policies with secure storage throughout the entire school day—the proven 'A' grade standard for student success," Nealon concluded. 

Key Report Findings

• Only two states – North Dakota and Rhode Island – were awarded the top ranking of "A" for their bell-to-bell with inaccessible storage policies.
• 17 states and the District of Columbia earned a ranking of "B" for their bell-to-bell with accessible storage policies.
• Eight states received a grade of "C" as they only prohibit personal device use during classroom instructional hours, which is insufficient in providing students with the full scope of benefits that bell-to-bell policies support.
• 15 states failed to pass meaningful phone-free legislation in 2025 – with Montana and South Dakota receiving a "Zero" for being the only two states in the country to have not introduced bills to free students from their personal devices during school hours.
• Eight states that are currently on a two-year legislative session (biennium) received an "Incomplete," as the bills introduced in 2025 have not yet passed. These states, which include Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Washington, will receive a final grade once their legislative session concludes.

To view the interactive map of the U.S. with individual state report cards and a detailed breakdown of state phone-free schools policies, visit phonefreeschoolsreport.org.

About the Report Card
This Report Card is the first comprehensive assessment of how laws or executive orders in every state and Washington, D.C., measure up. The criteria used to assess state policies for the Report Card were based on the Phone-Free Schools Model Bill released in 2025 by the Distraction-Free Schools Policy Project. The Model Bill was written to establish a gold standard for K-12 schools grounded in research on the mental and physical health effects of social media and screens on children, as well as on child development and learning processes. It also incorporates input from legislators, school administrators, and educators – many of whom had already implemented phone-free schools policies.

State grades were calculated by reviewing each state's phone-free schools law or executive order against the six criteria outlined in the Model Bill. Point values were assigned to each criterion based on how imperative that criterion is to support the best possible outcomes.

Through this analysis, the Report Card:

• Highlights gaps in state legislation (at a national level and individual state level) 
• Clarifies key distinctions between types of phone restrictions — distinctions that significantly influence outcomes 
• Equips policymakers, educators, and families with clear insights and practical resources to drive effective action

The goal of the Report Card, which will be released annually, is to empower lawmakers and advocates to foster thriving school communities by passing phone-free schools legislation that meets the best practice standards outlined in the Model Bill.

About the Report Card Grading System: 

• A: Awarded to states with statewide policies prohibiting personal electronic devices from bell-to-bell (all school day) and requiring them to be stored in an inaccessible location
• B: Awarded to states with policies prohibiting personal electronic devices bell-to-bell, but with either no storage stipulation or allowing accessible storage
• C: Given to states prohibiting personal electronic devices only during class instructional time 
• D: Given to states requiring school districts to have some kind of phone policy, but without any mandated elements 
• F: Given to states that failed to enact phone-free legislation in 2025 
• Zero: Given to states where no law was introduced 
• Incomplete: Given to states on a two-year (biennium) legislative cycle with pending bills 

SOURCE Institute for Families and Technology