ST. PAUL — A statewide cellphone ban for K-12 schools may be on the horizon after a state Senate committee debated it during the second week of the legislative session.
A bill authored by Sen. Alice Mann, DFL–Edina, would prohibit students from using cellphones and smartwatches in school from kindergarten through eighth grade and ban use in the classroom for grades nine through 12.
Each school district would be in charge of creating, implementing and enforcing a policy that meets these standards for the 2026-27 school year.
The bill comes at a time when personal devices, social media and new AI software are playing a bigger role than ever in young peoples’ lives.
“The evolution of technology is outpacing our ability to react to it, and there is mounting evidence that cellphones are taking a serious toll on students' ability to focus in the classroom and on their overall mental health,” Mann said.
The Minnesota Department of Education’s Minnesota Student Survey asked questions about social media and screen time for the first time in 2025.
The survey found that nearly 38% of surveyed eighth graders felt that they might be spending too much time on social media, with that number climbing to 44% for 11th graders.
Social media use was also found to be interfering with the surveyed students’ responsibilities. More than 31% of eighth graders and 38% of 11th graders reported having trouble getting homework, chores or other major responsibilities done because they were spending time on social media.
Parents, teachers and administrators agree that cellphones and social media present a problem for students, but they don’t all agree on a solution.
Some, like parent and teacher Grant Eustice, see this bill as a win and even advocate for a more comprehensive bell-to-bell ban in schools.
“We are currently in a battle for student attention against a clear villain, and that is Big Tech,” Eustice said. “This is our generation's Big Tobacco moment.”
Others, including Inver Grove Heights school board member Liz Niemioja, opposed the bill, believing it steps on the toes of school boards who know the needs of the staff and students in their districts.
“We like to keep the flexibility and ability to adapt and change and address these issues as they come up at the local level,” Niemioja said.
Sen. Jim Abeler, R–Anoka, expressed similar concerns about school boards maintaining their authority. He gestured to the current statute that was adopted in 2024 that says schools must simply adopt a policy on students’ possession and use of cellphones.
“The law we did is working, so just let them be successful,” Abeler said. “Let them do it, district by district, and we let school boards actually matter.”
Not all lawmakers feel the same. Sen. Liz Boldon, DFL–Rochester, said her colleagues need to act before they regret not taking more sweeping action.
“We are hearing that what is happening now is not working,” Boldon said. “We are hearing from students. We are hearing from teachers.”
Ultimately the committee didn’t vote on the bill. They agreed to keep it alive as part of a larger education policy bill expected later in the session.
“Everyone agreed today that cellphones are causing a problem,” Mann said. “So why wouldn't we codify a statewide solution?”
Report for Minnesota is a project of the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication to support local news across the state.
