Québec's school phone ban: what the rule covers and how families are adapting

What changed, and when

Québec moved in two stages. Since January 2024, phones have been banned in classrooms in public schools, but not elsewhere in the school.

In May 2025, the government announced a wider rule, following a recommendation from the Assemblée nationale's special commission on screens and young people. Since the start of the 2025-2026 school year, phones, earbuds and other personal mobile devices can't be used from the start to the end of the school day, including breaks and lunch, anywhere on school grounds. It applies to public and private schools, primary and secondary.

This fall is the second school year under the full-day rule.

What devices and places are covered

The government's rule names cellphones, earbuds and personal mobile devices. School notices sent to families list, for example:

• cellphones
• earbuds and headphones
• smartwatches with communication functions
• personal tablets and other mobile devices not provided by the school

The rule covers classrooms, hallways, the cafeteria and the schoolyard. Many kids still carry a phone to and from school. What each school asks students to do with it during the day (keep it off in a bag, in a locker, or another method) is up to the school.

The exceptions

According to Éducaloi, a device can be used when:

• a teacher allows it for a learning activity
• the student's health or an emergency calls for it
• the student uses it for particular needs, such as a disability or a learning difficulty

If your child uses a phone or a watch for a health reason, talk to the school before the first day. Ask how the exception works in practice and who on staff knows about it.

Each school also sets its own consequences when the rule isn't followed, in its code of conduct. It's worth reading that page once with your child, so nobody is surprised.

Reaching your child during the day

This is the question most parents ask. The answer is the same one that worked for generations: you call the school.

When the rule was announced, the education minister said each school would set a procedure for parents to reach their child in an emergency. In some schools, students can use a phone in an office if they need to call home.

A simple plan helps everyone:

• Ask the school for its emergency procedure and save the main office number in your phone.
• Agree on pick-up plans in the morning, including a backup if things change.
• Save non-urgent news for after school. Many families now send a message that their child will see at the final bell.
• Tell your child what to do if they feel unwell or something goes wrong: go to a teacher or the office.

Most parents have adapted, shifting from texting during the day to checking in after school.

What we know so far

The early picture is encouraging, with honest limits. The president of a teachers' federation called the first year a success, and teachers describe students who are more engaged in class and who talk to each other more at breaks. Some experts add nuance: these are early observations, not studies, and not every change is positive for every student. Official Québec data on grades, school climate or bullying is not yet available.

Some parents also find it hard not to be in touch during the day, and that is a fair feeling. It usually eases once a routine is in place.

What teens think

Expect mixed feelings, and that's normal. In a fall 2025 survey of teens in the United States, where rules differ by school, 41% supported banning phones during class, while far fewer supported an all-day ban: 17% were for it and 73% against.

So if your teen grumbles, they are not alone. Listening helps more than arguing. Ask what's hard about the rule and what's actually better. Many kids, once they're used to it, notice they have more time with friends at lunch.