As students prepare to return to classrooms this fall, public support for school cellphone restrictions continues to grow, according to new survey data from the Pew Research Center.
The latest findings show that nearly half of U.S. adults now support banning cellphones throughout the entire school day for middle and high school students.
At the same time, support for banning phones during classroom instruction remains overwhelmingly strong.
The shift comes as more states adopt policies limiting student cellphone use, with education leaders arguing that reducing distractions can improve learning, classroom behavior and student well-being.
Support for All-Day Cellphone Bans Continues To Grow
A Pew Research Center survey of 9,750 U.S. adults found that 48% support “bell-to-bell” cellphone bans, which prohibit students from using their phones from the beginning to the end of the school day.
That marks a significant increase from 36% in 2024, making this the first time supporters of all-day bans slightly outnumber opponents.
Meanwhile:
• 48% support all-day cellphone bans.
• 43% oppose the restrictions.
• 8% remain undecided.
Support for classroom-only restrictions is even stronger. According to the survey:
• 77% support banning cellphone use during class.
• 18% oppose classroom bans.
• 6% are unsure.
The survey was conducted between May 26 and June 1, 2026, using online and telephone interviews in English and Spanish.
Support Varies by Age and Political Affiliation
While support for cellphone restrictions has increased across nearly every demographic, younger adults remain the least supportive of all-day bans.
Only 28% of adults ages 18 to 29 favor keeping phones off-limits throughout the school day. However, a majority of younger adults still support banning phones during classroom instruction, with 57% in favor.
Older Americans expressed much stronger support for both classroom and all-day restrictions.
Political differences also emerged in the survey.
Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents:
• 81% support classroom cellphone bans.
• 55% support all-day bans.
Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents:
• 74% support classroom bans.
• 44% support all-day bans.
Despite those differences, majorities in both political groups favor keeping phones out of classrooms during instruction.
States Continue Expanding School Phone Restrictions
The increase in public support mirrors a growing number of state policies aimed at limiting cellphone use in schools.
According to Education Week, at least 39 states and the District of Columbia now require school districts to ban or restrict student cellphone use during the school day. Additional states encourage local districts to adopt their own policies.
Supporters argue that limiting access to phones reduces distractions, improves classroom engagement and encourages students to socialize more with classmates instead of spending time on their devices.
Previous Pew research also found that many Americans believe all-day cellphone bans could improve:
• Academic performance.
• Classroom behavior.
• Social skills.
However, fewer respondents believed the policies would improve student safety.
Teachers Have Also Raised Concerns
Growing support for cellphone restrictions comes amid longstanding concerns from educators.
Earlier Pew research found that roughly one-third of teachers considered cellphone distractions to be a major classroom problem. Among high school teachers, that figure climbed to 72%.
More recent studies suggest students are generally less distracted when phones are kept out of reach during the school day. However, researchers have found limited evidence so far that the policies immediately translate into higher grades or major improvements in student behavior.
Why It Matters
As more legislatures and school districts consider expanding cellphone restrictions, public opinion appears to be shifting in favor of stricter policies.
While debate continues over whether phones should be prohibited all day or only during class, the latest survey suggests Americans increasingly support limiting student cellphone use as schools look for ways to reduce distractions and improve the learning environment.
