School
State law
Tomorrow morning · 2026 school yearThe phone basket
School-day phone restrictions (state wave, 2024–2026) · State laws: e.g. bell-to-bell policies
A wave of states now requires phones away during the school day, in pouches, lockers, or baskets. Districts are writing the last mile: exceptions for health, language, and after-school pickup.
What changed
- Many states now require phones to be away during instructional time or the full school day.
- Implementation (pouches, lockers, teacher-by-teacher) is mostly local.
Who it touches
Students, teachers, and anyone who used a phone as a medical, language, or safety tool during the day.
What it does not do
- It does not usually ban phones on the bus or after dismissal.
- It does not, by itself, fund counselors or smaller classes.
Say this tonight
A lot of states now say phones stay away from bell to bell. We should read our school’s exceptions (especially for health) so you are not guessing in the hallway.
Open your district’s phone policy. Circle the medical and language exceptions. If they are missing, email the principal one paragraph asking they be written down.