Nearly 95,000 San Diego Unified students return Monday under new phone ban
Nearly 95,000 San Diego Unified students will return Monday to a decidedly different classroom experience as the district launches both the 2025-26 academic year and its new mobile phone rules across 175 schools.
Dante Ulanday - News Moderator 
Backpacks: check. Notebooks: check. Cellphones: powered down and put away.
Nearly 95,000 San Diego Unified students will return Monday to a decidedly different classroom experience as the district launches both the 2025-26 academic year and its new mobile phone rules across 175 schools.
The district will begin enforcing phone-free school day guidelines aimed at reducing distractions and supporting students’ mental health and academic performance.
The policy, developed in accordance with California’s Phone-Free School Act, requires students from transitional kindergarten through 12th grade to turn off phones during class and keep them out of sight during regular school hours.
This move comes as San Diego Unified enters the school year with strong academic momentum. The district maintains a 90.9% graduation rate, with 6,009 graduates in the 2024-25 school year.
Recent statewide assessment results show consistent growth, with English language arts proficiency rising from 53.8% to 54.2% and mathematics proficiency increasing from 43.2% to 43.9%, officials said.
The district continues expanding its community school model, operating 35 community schools including 10 new locations for the 2025-26 year. Student wellness remains a priority with 12 wellness centers across the district and more than 90,000 meals served daily.
Athletic participation has surged 13% compared to pre-pandemic levels, growing from 12,001 students in 2018-19 to 13,565 in 2025-26, reflecting renewed student engagement in extracurricular activities, according to the district.
