Does Washington Ban Phones in School? (2026 Status)

No. Washington has no statewide school phone ban. SSB 5346 (2026) authorizes school boards to limit student possession and use of mobile devices and has OSPI report to the Legislature by Dec. 15, 2027, with a goal of bell-to-bell policies in every district by 2030.

What SSB 5346 does

• • No requirement on schools: school boards may adopt policies limiting student possession and use of mobile devices and are encouraged to review OSPI recommendations.
• • OSPI adds research and best practices on responsible mobile device use to its digital citizenship resources.
• • By Dec. 15, 2027, OSPI reports on Washington and other states’ policies, implementation barriers and evidence-based recommendations, including student input.

The emergency wording for every state, D.C. and Puerto Rico is in school phone ban emergency exceptions by state.

Timeline

1. March 25, 2026SSB 5346 signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson (Chapter 225, Laws of 2026)
2. June 11, 2026SSB 5346 takes effect
3. December 15, 2027OSPI report to the Legislature on student mobile device policies due

Storage rules

No statewide rule; each district sets its own policy, including any storage requirement.

Some schools back a written policy with phone-management software such as LockedIn: students' own phones lock automatically on campus during school hours and unlock after school, with no pouches or hardware; the admin dashboard flags workarounds by student name, such as a possible uninstall or a new device awaiting approval; and in an emergency, one tap from an administrator starts Emergency Mode on every phone on campus. Software does not replace a written board policy; have counsel review any tool that handles student device data.

Checklist for Washington administrators

1. No state deadline applies; review your board policy against OSPI’s guidance.
2. Consider whether to limit possession as well as use; SSB 5346 authorizes both.
3. Watch for OSPI’s report to the Legislature, due Dec. 15, 2027.

How Washington districts are carrying it out

With no statewide requirement in force, each district sets its own rule. Here is what one large Washington district has adopted, from its own published policy:

• • Seattle Public Schools: Since May 4, 2026, K–8 phones are off and away all day; high schoolers keep them away in class but may use them at lunch and in passing periods.