For the first time, more Americans support than oppose banning cell phones for the entire school day, according to a Pew Research Center survey published July 29, 2026. The survey, conducted May 26 through June 1, found 48% of U.S. adults back full-day bans — meaning phones would be off-limits from the start of school to the end of the day. About 18% oppose them, and 6% are unsure. Support for banning phones only during class time is even higher, at 77%.

The shift on full-day bans is the more notable change. Two years ago, only 36% of adults supported an all-day ban. That rose to 44% by July 2025 and has now reached 48% Pew Research Center. Support for in-class bans has also climbed, going from 68% in October 2024 to 74% in June 2025 to 77% now Pew Research Center.

More than 20 states have already passed laws restricting cell phones for the full school day, according to The Verge's reporting on the Pew data The Verge. State lawmakers have been acting on this even as public opinion was still catching up, and the two now seem aligned.

The breakdown by age and political party shows where people agree and where they split. A majority of adults across all age groups support banning phones during class. But full-day bans get a different reaction. At least half of people in most age groups support full-day restrictions, with one big exception: among adults ages 18 to 29, support drops to 28% Pew Research Center. That group is closest in age to the students affected by these rules.

The partisan split is unusual. Both Republicans and Democrats mostly support in-class bans. But they split on the full-day question. Among Republicans, 81% support in-class bans and 55% support all-day bans. Among Democrats, 74% support in-class bans, but only 44% back full-day restrictions Pew Research Center. Republicans are more likely to back the stricter policy.

Students themselves are more skeptical. A January 2026 Pew survey found that 41% of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 support banning cell phone use during class — a lower share than any adult age group Pew Research Center.

Teachers have been pointing to the problem for longer. In a 2024 Pew survey, 72% of U.S. high school teachers said cell phone distraction is a major problem in the classroom. One-third of all public school teachers called it a major problem in their own classroom, and another 20% called it a minor problem Pew Research Center.

The evidence on results so far is mixed but not discouraging for ban supporters. One report found that school phone bans improved students' well-being over the long term but did not change test scores. Another found a temporary spike in suspensions during the first year that later went back to normal, along with fewer unexcused absences The Verge.

The lack of a test-score change is worth thinking about. School systems have spent two decades measuring success through standardized tests. A well-being improvement that does not show up in those scores is still a real benefit — but it is the kind of benefit that schools' current tools are not built to measure. That does not mean the improvement is any less real. It means the case for bans depends on something — how students feel and function day to day — that many districts are not set up to evaluate.

The direction is clear regardless. In-class bans have near-universal support among adults. Full-day bans have gone from minority to plurality support in just two years, with more than 20 states already passing laws. The holdouts are young adults and, more narrowly, Democratic voters on the full-day question. The students who would be most affected remain the most skeptical of all.