School Phone Ban Tracker: 114 Countries Monitored (2026)

Yes, multiple studies find positive effects. Beland and Murphy (2016) analyzed phone bans across UK schools and found test scores improved by 6.4% overall, with the effect strongest for low-achieving students (14.23% improvement, equivalent to one additional week of schooling per year). OECD PISA 2022 data shows students distracted by digital devices score 15 points lower in math. Norway and Australia have reported similar patterns after implementing bans.

As of March 2026, 114 education systems (58% worldwide) have national phone bans in schools, according to the UNESCO GEM Report phone ban tracker. This is up from just 24% in June 2023. France, the Netherlands, Australia, China, Brazil, and Italy have comprehensive national bans. The UK, Sweden, Finland, and Canada have varying levels of restrictions. The trend is accelerating: more countries enacted phone bans in 2024-2025 than in any previous two-year period.

No federal law exists, but 46 states have introduced or passed phone restriction legislation since 2023. States with enacted laws include Florida (2023), California, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, South Carolina (2024), and Virginia (2025). Most laws require schools to develop phone-free policies rather than imposing uniform enforcement. California's Phone-Free Schools Act (AB 3216) requires all schools to have policies by July 2026.

A full ban means phones must be stored away (in lockers, pouches, or collected by teachers) for the entire school day, enforced by national legislation. A partial ban restricts phones during class time but may allow use during breaks, or applies only to certain grade levels or regions. Guidance means the government recommends phone-free policies but leaves enforcement to individual schools. Our tracker categorizes each country based on their strongest national-level policy.

We update this page whenever a new national phone ban is enacted or an existing policy changes significantly. Each statistic traces to a named source so you can verify the claim yourself. The changelog at the bottom of the page records every update with its date and scope.

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