If passed school districts will have to adopt a policy by July 2026 to limit or ban the use of smartphones by students during the school day.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, in a letter to school leaders last month, encouraged districts to enact restrictions on smartphones on campuses.

The California Legislature approved a statewide cellphone ban this week. LAUSD schools that have had bans in place for years provide a window into the future.

Concerned parents and unionized teachers caused New York City Mayor Eric Adams to delay a plan to limit cellphone use in public schools.

If passed school districts will have to adopt a policy by July 2026 to limit or ban the use of smartphones by students during the school day.

Cellphones are not only a distraction in class, they can also be a distraction during an emergency, when survival may depend on split-second decisions, experts say.

There are movements across the U.S. to ban cell phone use in classrooms. Not everyone is on board, though, and brutal murders such as those in a Georgia school this week weigh heavily on public opinion.