WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 21, 2026 – Leading child safety and well-being organizations, The Anxious Generation Movement, Smartphone Free Childhood US, Institute for Families and Technology, and Becca Schmill Foundation, today announced that Connecticut maintains its “F” grade on the national Phone-Free Schools State Report Card for failing to pass a law during the 2026 legislative session. Connecticut joins Mississippi as one of only two states to receive an “F” grade two years in a row.
H.B. 5035 - spearheaded by Rep. Jennifer Leeper (D-CT) and supported by Governor Ned Lamont (D-CT), teachers associations, parent advocates, and child online safety groups - passed the House with bipartisan support, but did not receive a vote in the Senate before the end of session. The bill would have prohibited students in all of Connecticut’s public schools from using their cellphones for the entire school day.
“All Connecticut students, regardless of zip code, deserve consistent baseline policies that ensure classrooms are focused on learning and free from unnecessary digital distractions,” said Deb Schmill, founder of the Becca Schmill Foundation. “We commend the bipartisan group of Connecticut lawmakers who advanced this legislation in the House.”
“Senators ran out the clock on Connecticut’s students,” said Emily Rapp, policy director for the Institute for Families and Technology. “The Senate failed the state’s teachers, parent advocates, and law enforcement officials who called for the passage of this bill.”
Under the Report Card’s criteria, an “A” grade is awarded when legislation requires all personal electronic devices to be stored in secure, inaccessible locations throughout the entire school day, or from “bell-to-bell.” Bell-to-bell policies are proven to enhance academic performance, improve students’ mental and physical health, increase teacher satisfaction, protect student safety and privacy, and deepen school community relationships.
More information on Connecticut’s grade can be found here.
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About the Phone-Free Schools Report Card
Launched in 2026, the Phone-Free Schools State Report Card is published by leading child safety and well-being organizations, including The Anxious Generation Movement, Smartphone Free Childhood US, Institute for Families and Technology, and Becca Schmill Foundation. The report evaluates whether the laws in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., meet the gold standard for phone-free schools: policies requiring all students to store their personal electronic devices in secure, inaccessible locations for the entire school day (bell-to-bell).