California Law

California law requires every school district to adopt a smartphone policy by a set deadline — here's what it actually requires.

AB 3216 — Phone-Free Schools Act

Signed 2024. Every California school district must adopt a policy limiting or prohibiting student smartphone use — on campus or under staff supervision — by July 1, 2026, updated every five years.

Where it falls short

AB 3216 requires districts to adopt a policy — it does not mandate bell-to-bell or off-and-away storage specifically, leaving that stricter standard up to each district.

As of September 2026, 44 states have enacted some form of statewide K–12 cell phone policy — 22 states plus Washington, D.C. mandate full bell-to-bell for every grade. California only requires that a policy exist.