WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 13, 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 Washington received an “F” grade on the national Phone-Free Schools State Report Card for failing to pass a statewide policy banning cell phone use in schools during the 2026 legislative session.
Instead of passing a state-wide phone-free schools law, legislators advanced S.B. 5346 directing the state superintendent to deliver recommendations by December 2027, “with a goal of enabling every school district in Washington to implement a bell-to-bell cell phone policy that is tailored to the needs of their community by 2030.” The Evergreen State previously received an “Incomplete” on the initial Phone-Free Schools State Report Card published earlier this year as several bills banning phones in schools were under consideration. Washington now joins South Dakota as the second state to receive a new “F” grade at the end of the 2026 legislative session for failing to pass a statewide cell phone ban in schools.
“Students can’t afford to wait until 2030 for relief from the distractions and harms being caused by smartphones during the school day,” said Lina Nealon, director of strategic partnerships for the Institute of Families and Technology and Report Card project lead. “Washington is ignoring the extensive evidence on the academic, health, and relational benefits of freeing students from personal devices for the entirety of the school day – just ask superintendents, teachers, and students from the 40 states that have enacted phone-free schools laws. The time for a study has passed.”
“For a state that has championed kids online safety measures, this new law falls woefully short,” said Deb Schmill, founder of the Becca Schmill Foundation, “Delaying action and failing to enact a strong phone-free schools policy prevents Washington students from learning and forming friendships without the constant distraction of personal devices and continually puts undue burden on teachers.”
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 about Washington’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).