Washington state has been given a failing grade in a national phone‑policy scorecard, highlighting the absence of statewide rules that limit cellphone use in schools. The ranking underscores the need for uniform regulations to curb distractions during instruction. The scorecard, first reported by Axios, evaluated states on how strictly they restrict phone use during the school day. Washington, along with four other states, received a failing grade because it lacks statewide mandates, allowing individual districts to set their own policies. The report lists 19 states that earned a “B” for all‑day restrictions, with devices stored in lockers or backpacks. Eight states received “C” grades for rules that limit phone use only during instructional time. Nine states earned “D” grades for having policies without specifying the rules. Four states have pending legislation and were not graded. Within Washington, 53% of districts limit smart devices during instructional time only, while 31% require phones to be stored from bell‑to‑bell. A University of Washington study found that U.S. adolescents ages 13–18 spend more than one hour per day on phones during school hours, with “addictive” social media apps accounting for the largest share of use. Despite mounting concern, Washington has moved cautiously on the issue. Last month, legislators passed a law requiring the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to study the issue, produce a report on district policies, review research on phone impacts, and gather student input on regulations. The analysis is due at the end of 2027. At the local level, Seattle Public Schools has not issued a district-wide policy, though at least three public middle schools in the district have banned phones at school, and at least one high school prohibits their use during classes. The UW’s Youth Advisory Board, a group of approximately 20 teens from Seattle-area schools, recently published a memo tackling the contentious issue of phones in school. The document weighs the pros and cons of phone bans and offers recommendations on how schools should draft and communicate their policies.