OLYMPIA – Governor Bob Ferguson announced details last Friday for the Phone-Free Schools Act, a new legislative proposal that would require Washington school districts to implement a “bell-to-bell” ban on student personal electronic device use during the school day. If passed, the legislation is slated to take effect for the next school year, potentially changing how students in Federal Way and across the state use their phones at school.
The proposed legislation is a top priority for Governor Ferguson, who stated on October 2 at an event in Spokane, "My mission as governor is to get this legislation across the finish line and sign it into law." Under the act, students bringing devices to school would be required to keep them off and stored in a "secure and inaccessible location" for the entire school day, such as a classroom caddy or a lockable pouch. The bill includes exceptions for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which are protected under federal civil rights law, and for narrow personal circumstances.
Currently, Washington does not have a statewide law governing student device usage in schools, a deficiency noted by a national report card that gave the state a failing grade in this area. If the Phone-Free Schools Act becomes law, Washington would join 31 other states and the District of Columbia that already restrict phone use in schools, with 22 of those already enforcing a bell-to-bell ban.
While a statewide law is not yet in place, some individual school districts have already established their own policies, especially since State Superintendent Chris Reykdal challenged district leaders to do so in 2024. Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) implemented a new phone policy for the current 2025-2026 school year. Under this policy, elementary school students must keep their devices silenced and stored throughout the day. Middle and high school students in Federal Way are currently allowed more leniency, with access to phones permitted during lunch periods.
If the Phone-Free Schools Act passes, FWPS and other local districts will need to adjust their current policies to comply with the new state mandates. Districts without any device policies in place, which constitute about one-third of districts across the state according to a spring survey by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), would be compelled to establish them.
The overarching goal of restricting device use in schools is to bolster student mental health and enhance learning environments. Research indicates that teenagers nationwide use their phones for approximately one-quarter of the school day, on average. Teachers frequently report that widespread phone use in classrooms significantly distracts from schoolwork, according to findings from a Pew Research Center study.
Ferguson emphasized the rationale behind the proposal at the Spokane event, stating, "The research is clear: school-day phone use has a negative impact on student learning, ability to focus, attendance and mental and emotional health." He drew a parallel, remarking, "We don’t allow smoking on planes anymore. I’m confident that in a few years, allowing cell phones in schools will feel just as wrong."
Other area districts have also implemented new policies. The Auburn School District's policy for the 2025-2026 school year requires students to silence and store devices in a backpack or locker. Elementary students must keep devices stored all day, while middle schoolers can use them during lunch, and high schoolers can use them during lunch and passing periods. In the Renton School District, middle and high schoolers are prohibited from using phones during class periods, and elementary schoolers cannot use phones at any time during the school day.
