Washington has been given a failing grade by several national advocacy groups for its lack of a statewide ban on student cellphone use in schools. The groups argue that smartphones distract students and disrupt their education, with some research linking school cellphone bans to better academic outcomes. The latest state-by-state report card criticizes state legislators for not including new restrictions in their law passed last month, directing the state superintendent's office to recommend best practices for restricting cellphone use by December 2027. Only four other states receiving failing grades. Some Washington school districts have implemented districtwide restrictions, while others leave it up to individual schools.