Long Beach restricts student cellphone use, but gives high schoolers some freedom

The Long Beach Unified School District board has unanimously approved a new policy that will restrict cellphone use during the entire school day for the majority of students.

Here’s how it works broadly:

• The policy applies to smartwatches, headphones and gaming consoles.
• Students in transitional kindergarten (TK) through eighth grade must turn off and store their devices when they arrive on campus until they leave, including before- and after-school programs. 
• High school students can use their devices during passing periods and at lunch. 
• There are several exceptions. Students can use their phones in case of an emergency; with administrator permission; at the direction of their doctor; or if they have a disability and using their device is part of an individualized education program (IEP). 
• Students can’t use their phones in restrooms or on field trips. 

The district’s policy also prohibits specific types of cellphone and social media use:

• Cyberbullying on or off campus. 
• Recording or photographing fights, criminal behavior or another person without their permission. “We've had major problems with kids filming inappropriate things in the bathroom, with things with fights,” said Chris Itson, a program administrator in the district’s communications department, during a July 16 board meeting. “It's a motivator because it's ‘Now I can get attention by doing this online.’”
• Impersonating another person online. For example, creating a fake social media profile or posts that falsely represent another student. 

Each school is responsible for creating a plan to implement the district-wide policy and individual teachers may use lockers or other methods to store students' phones.

Cabrillo and Jordan High Schools are piloting the policy this semester and it will be rolled out at all schools when students return from winter break in January 2026.

Itson said the message to students is: “this isn't about punishment or prohibition, but it's really about supporting your learning and keeping you safe.”

The district convened a working group of staff, educators, students, parents and caregivers in October 2024 to develop the policy in response to a California law that requires schools to restrict student cellphone use by July 2026.

The policy also cites research that shows young people interact less often in-person than previous generations and that social media use can be linked to negative mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression.

Several middle schools piloted the policy last school year.

At Franklin Middle School, Principal Jorge Montanez reports staff collect about five cellphones a day from a student body of about 1,000.

“The policy has almost completely wiped out negative social media use, bullying, and fighting, creating a safer and positive school environment,” Montanez said in a statement to LAist. “As a result, we’re able to better focus on instruction, creating a more welcoming and nurturing environment.”

What we know about bans in other districts

Listen • 46:11

Listen • 46:11

Did the cellphone ban in high schools work?

On February 18th, 2025, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest public school district in the country, implemented an all-day cell phone ban for its students. Now that it’s the end of the school year, we head to Venice High School to see how the ban actually went.