U.S. school screen time limits and cellphone bans gain traction

State lawmakers across the United States are moving to curb students' digital device use. In 2024, Iowa capped instructional screen time at 60 minutes per day for kindergarten through fifth grade, while Utah directed its education board to set grade‑specific technology rules for K‑3. Tennessee required all K‑5 districts to adopt age‑appropriate digital device policies, and Alabama mandated screen‑time standards and teacher training for early‑childhood classrooms. Conversely, Missouri and Oklahoma bills seeking similar limits stalled in their state senates.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second‑largest, has already instituted system‑wide, grade‑by‑grade instructional screen limits, barring screens before second grade. Meanwhile, a Pew Research Center survey of 9,750 U.S. adults conducted May 26–June 1, 2026 found that 77% support in‑class cellphone bans for middle and high school students, and 48% back all‑day bans, up from 36% in 2024. Support is strongest among older adults and Republicans, while younger adults show less enthusiasm for all‑day restrictions.