Half of U.S. adults support all-day school cellphone bans

For the first time, a majority of American adults now support banning cellphones for middle and high school students not just during class but for the entire school day, according to a new national survey. The findings, released on July 29, 2026, by the Pew Research Center, indicate a significant shift in public opinion as such restrictions become increasingly common in schools across the country.

The survey, conducted from May 26 to June 1, 2026, found that 77% of U.S. adults support prohibiting cellphone use during class, with only 18% opposed. This marks the second consecutive year of rising support for in-classroom bans. More notably, 48% of adults now support so-called "bell-to-bell" bans covering the full school day, while 43% oppose them. This is the first time support has exceeded opposition for all-day restrictions, a substantial increase from the 36% who backed such policies in 2024.

This growing public support aligns with a wave of state-level action. According to an Education Week tracker updated in late July 2026, at least 39 states and the District of Columbia now require school districts to ban or restrict student cellphone use during the school day. The movement...