Passed in September, California Assembly Bill 3216 follows 14 other states’ efforts in making an attempt to curb electronic classroom distractions. The bill will require school districts to adopt a policy limiting or regulating smartphone usage by July 1, 2026.
Supporters of the bill, also known as the Phone-Free School Act, say it is meant to tackle excessive smartphone use at school.
Since the pandemic, the issue has become more urgent, as smartphone use not only interferes with learning but has been linked to an increase in mental health challenges in children and teenagers.
The bill also stipulates certain exemptions: schools are required to grant phone access during emergencies, upon staff permission, for medical reasons or when deemed essential to a special education student’s individualized education program.
AB 3216 is a step in the right direction. However, its lack of baseline policies for school districts to follow prevent the bill from effectively reducing classroom distractions.
The bill makes an important effort to address excessive cellphone use in schools. Standardized test scores and academic achievement improve, especially among struggling students, when phones are taken away.
The bill also makes progress on another front: the legislation prohibits school officials and staff from accessing or monitoring a student’s online activities, strengthening students’ right to privacy.
However, the bill’s ambiguity will hinder its intended effects when it’s enacted in two years.
Without any specific policy recommendations, the lack of strict expectations or standards set by AB 3216 offers school districts the liberty to freely police — or not police — students’ cellphone use.
Though The Campanile criticizes the bill for granting too much discretion to districts, we encourage our district, PAUSD, to develop an approach similar to our current de facto policy which allows teachers to enforce their own particular phone policies.
Every teacher has curated a distinctive phone policy suited to their own teaching style.
Some adopt a technology-friendly approach, integrating Quizlet Lives and Kahoots into their lessons, while others opt to limit electronic device use entirely, requiring students to either store their phones in cellphone hotels or in their backpacks. Once AB 3216 takes effect, we do recommend teachers post their phone policies in their course guide, ensuring students have access to the rules while respecting each teacher’s unique approach.
The Campanile also urges clear communication from district administration in preparing for the bill’s July 2026 deadline. Vague district policies can be a burden for teachers left to interpret and enforce unclear rules.
This can happen, for example, if a student challenges a teacher’s phone use decision, arguing the policy was not applied fairly to the class. Such a policy draws emphasis away from the teacher’s role as an educator and toward one as an enforcer.
The importance of fostering a positive learning environment cannot be overstated.
By creating clear guidelines and supporting teachers’ autonomy, the district can make the best out of a vague bill and empower educators to promote student academic and social growth.
