A new state law is about to bring changes across California public school districts’ technology policies, but most south coast schools are already prepared.
The Phone-Free Schools Act, which goes into effect today, requires all public school districts in California to implement policies restricting or banning student cellphone use during the school day.
The law comes amid growing concern from parents in Santa Barbara and Goleta about the impacts of excessive screen time on children and the growing reliance on technology in the classroom.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law in 2024 following research about the impact of excessive phone use on mental health. It builds on an existing state law from 2019 that allows school districts to regulate phone use during school hours.
Here are some of the policies Santa Barbara County school districts have adopted ahead of the law taking effect.
Santa Barbara Unified School District
The district’s board of trustees adopted an “Off and Away” policy in 2022, requiring students to power off and store their devices in pouches or backpacks. It extends to all personal devices, including phones, smart watches and earbuds. Last year, the district added smart glasses to the list.
Santa Barbara Unified was one of the first districts in the state to adopt a policy restricting student cellphone use during school. The move received praise from Newsom, prompting an invite to the governor’s mansion in 2024.
“SBTA leadership at the time went to Superintendent Maldonado and shared the problem they were having with phone management in classrooms, and a committee was started to address that,” Ed Zuchelli, spokesperson for the district, told the News-Press.
The policy began during the 2022-2023 school year, then high schools created “cell hotels” — where phones are stored at the beginning of each class — in spring 2024.
Some junior highs rolled out signal-blocking pouches for phones, which silences notifications, in fall 2025. Pouches went to all junior high schools in January 2026.
Students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade must keep their phones “off and away” all day, but high school students can use their phones during lunch and passing periods.
Carpinteria Unified School District
In 2024, the Carpinteria Unified school board adopted a policy that prohibits students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade from having any devices on campus.
Sixth through eighth graders may have their devices on campus, but like Santa Barbara Unified, they must power them off and stow them away in their backpacks or lockers.
High school students can only use their devices before and after school and during lunch and nutrition breaks.
Before the policy, the district had only prohibited use of personal devices during school hours.
Goleta Union School District
The Goleta Union School District student handbook states that student-owned “internet connected devices,” which include phones, smart watches and smart glasses, are required to be turned off and put away for the school day.
Exceptions are made for students in individualized education programs or with medical device exceptions.
In March, the school board adopted a resolution requiring the district to provide access to resources related to smartphone use and healthy technology habits.
Montecito Union School District
The Montecito Union school board adopted a policy in 2020 prohibiting students from using mobile communication devices such as cell phones, smart watches, and pagers on campus.
Exceptions are made during emergencies, at the permission of a teacher, administrator or doctor or when necessary for the student’s individualized education program.
The governor’s office says the goal of the law is to improve student learning and mental health through reducing distractions caused by cellphone use.
“We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues – but we have the power to intervene,” Newsom said in a press release. “This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school.”
