The state's school chief, Chris Reykdal, has accused Washington of falling behind in the national push to restrict smartphones in schools, arguing that the state should instead focus on a statewide standard. This comes as other states are increasing efforts to limit student phone use, with Indiana advancing a bell-to-bell ban and New Jersey adopting a statewide requirement that will make districts including Newark phone-free by fall. However, Washington did not adopt a statewide policy this year and directed lawmakers to study the issue. Despite this, he believes that consistent local approaches to limit effectiveness are effective. The debate comes as Washington schools face financial pressure amid increasing financial pressure and declining enrollment is forcing districts to reconsider long-term operations.