Some students, teachers, and parents are entering the first school year with district-wide cell phone policies.
BOTHELL, Wash. —
Heading back to school Wednesday, students in the Northshore School District will pack their books, pens, and paper, but not their cell phones.
Its just one of many Washington state school districts that now have a district -wide policy for mobile devices.
District leaders say it’s a thought-out move put in place to decrease distractions and increase learning.
Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal called on local schools last year to ban or limit smartphone use in classrooms.
At North Creek High School, students have been experimenting with a “no cell phone” rule for a few years. The 2025-26 school year is the official launch of the policy with different permissions depending on the grade level.
At the high school level, mobile devices will be allowed during passing breaks, lunch time, and before and after school. They’re prohibited during class instruction.
Personal mobile devices include cell phones, smart watches, music players, laptops, and tablets. A full list of prohibited devices can be found here.
For the district’s youngest learners, things are different.
These devices are not allowed on the school campus at any time.
The only exceptions, Pre-K through 12, will be for approved medical needs relating to health monitoring devices or mobile apps.
For high schoolers, each classroom has a shelf or “filing caddy” near the door where students will place their devices before class instruction begins.
Two North Creek High School seniors told KING 5 they like the policy.
“I think it helps us be more present in class and actually learn, which is what we’re here for,” said Aaliya Nagori, a North Creek High School senior and vice president of the associate student body. “Focusing on the stuff around you, like a lot of our group projects or working with our teacher, is so much more important than having your phone constantly dinging away in your pocket or right next to you.”
For Nagori’s fellow senior, Abby Swallom, the soft launch of the policy has been life-changing.
“I was very much addicted to my phone, especially going into the pandemic,” said Swallom, president of the associate student body. “Being forced to put that away and spend time with each other and in class and learning without our phones…I would say it’s actually helped me dramatically reduce my screen time outside of school.”
School and district leaders say support is split among parents, students, and staff, but most “understand” the reasoning for the policy.
According to the district’s Mobile Devices Survey results, 67% to 70% of responding parents said that if students were not allowed to bring mobile devices to school, they believe there would be improvements in the areas of emotional health, screen time, addiction, and engagement in learning.
To see how respondents felt about a “bell-to-bell” ban or “full day without devices” – click here.
During the North Creek High School soft launch years, administrators said they already noticed positive impacts.
“The teens are really, really smart and know that not using it during classes for their own benefit,” said Dr. Eric McDowell, Principal, North Creek High School. “All of the teachers reported much better engagement, and I think that eye contact piece is better.”
In addition to the medical and health exceptions, there are a few other reasons some high schoolers may be allowed to have their phones or other devices more accessible on certain days.
“We know we have students who are communicating with employers, with potential colleges, perhaps with military recruiters,” said Shelby Reynolds, assistant director for instructional technology and library services. “So, there are lots of different reasons that a student might need to have access to that personal device during the day for very productive reasons.”
What happens if students “violate” the policy?
“It may vary slightly from school to school, but initially, schools will give verbal warnings and ask students to put their phones or devices in the phone caddies,” Reynolds said. “Repeated violations may result in phones or devices being held in the office for a parent to collect later in the day.”
McDowell and Reynolds say a district-wide policy is the best move forward.
Overall, high school senior Abby Swallom said it’s important for students to experience school phone-free when possible.
“‘The whole world is not in your phone,’ is my pep talk,” Swallom said. “It may feel like it in the moment, but I promise you there’s so much more to high school.”
Researching cell phone usage in schools
The UW is one year into research on cell phone policies like Northshore’s.
Studying responses from 5,000 Washington students along with parents and teachers, the team learned that 15% to 20% of students saw improvements in their attention, understanding lessons and getting work done.
Only about 10% have reported difficulties in regulating emotions, stress and loss of authenticity without their phones.
As research and data analysis continues – the lead on the study, Lucía Magis-Weinberg, a UW assistant professor of psychology, said these types of policies impact families, not just students.
Magis Weinberg told KING 5 that parents will need time adjusting to school policies that either limit or prohibit mobile device usage.
While it may be assumed that emergency situations at schools like a lockdown, have parents most concerned, early findings show that it’s a shift in overall communication expectations between parents and students throughout any given day that will be the major adjustment.
“Constant contact” is going to change or go back to how things were handled in years past, according to Magis-Weinberg.
“When I was growing up in school, I didn’t have contact with my parents at all, until or unless it was something very, very serious,” Magis-Weinberg said. “Now, of course, this idea of being constantly connected has changed.”
If parents need to contact students where cell phones are fully prohibited, they can still call their respective schools and speak to the front office and arrange communication.
