Early lessons from a statewide cellphone ban

Concerns about the effects of social media use have led some states, districts, and schools to set policies limiting or banning student use of cellphones at school. Virginia implemented a bell-to-bell cellphone ban in January 2025, forbidding the use of cellphones during the school day. David T. Marshall and Tim Pressley surveyed teachers in a Virginia school district before and after the ban. In both surveys, teachers showed majority support for the policy, but they were concerned about implementation and administrator support before the ban was in place. Four months after its implementation, teachers remained supportive but were frustrated with inconsistent enforcement among colleagues.