Schools Expand Phone Bans to Limit AI and Screen Time

A wave of technology restrictions is reshaping American classrooms as schools move beyond simple cellphone bans to address broader concerns about screens and artificial intelligence in education.

At least 16 states across the political spectrum have considered legislation this year to limit classroom technology use, reflecting growing unease among parents, educators, and policymakers about the impact of digital devices on student attention, behavior, and learning outcomes.

Why it matters

These policies represent a fundamental shift in how schools approach educational technology after years of aggressive digitization. The measurable results—including a 70% drop in suspensions at one Kansas middle school—suggest that reducing screen time may deliver tangible benefits for student behavior and engagement.

Measurable Results from Early Adopters

McPherson Middle School in Kansas provides a compelling case study. Principal Inge Esping reported that suspension rates fell 70% after the school banned cellphones in 2022. Students also began communicating more frequently with peers and teachers, according to Esping's account to Axios.

Ohio has taken a phased approach. A 2024 state law required school districts to limit cellphone usage "as limited as possible during school hours." Lawmakers strengthened the policy the following year by prohibiting student phone usage entirely during instructional time.

AI Enters the Policy Conversation

The restrictions now extend beyond phones to artificial intelligence tools. Columbus schools adopted a policy in March 2025 treating unauthorized AI use as plagiarism. The district's framework outlines grade-specific usage guidelines, establishes guardrails, and defines permitted and prohibited applications.

The American Federation of Teachers, representing millions of educators nationwide, released a 10-point plan introducing AI and screen-time guardrails. The plan would ban screens entirely for prekindergarten through second-grade students unless required for special needs support, while limiting AI use across grade levels.

Grassroots Movement Gains Momentum

Schools Beyond Screens, a nonprofit that began with fewer than a dozen parents in Los Angeles Unified School District last year, has expanded to include thousands of parents and educators nationwide, according to policy director Kate Brody. The organization helped pass a resolution in the nation's second-largest district limiting classroom screen time and eliminating school-issued devices for first-graders and younger students. Similar measures have emerged in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Industry Pushback

Educational technology advocates argue for a more nuanced approach. A 2025 report from the Consortium for School Networking—a nonprofit with corporate partners including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft—contends that ed tech "can support differentiation, accessibility, enrichment, and workforce preparation in the K-12 classroom" when used with intention and balance.

Yet even supporters of technology restrictions acknowledge its role. "We also need to recognize that tech alone is not an enhancement of learning," Esping noted, emphasizing that teachers remain "the most important" factor in student learning outcomes.

These details were first reported by Axios.