Smart Devices

Commenting on a Facebook post asking for their reactions to Alabama's school cellphone restrictions, many parents voiced their support, and some said the policy should apply to teachers, too.

New York law will soon require students to have their cellphones turned off at school and stored in a way chosen by their principals. Gov. Kathy Hochul recommended that parents start preparing their kids for this reality.

Principal Jessiah Gilchrist said Cedar Rapids Taft Middle School has had a policy in place since 2020 restricting the use of cellphones, and he said it's been "so effective."

A recent report by Common Sense Media says three quarters of teens have used AI companions, which are designed to be agreeable and validating. More than a third found them more "satisfying" than interacting with friends.

The 2026-27 Ohio budget mandates that K-12 districts create policies to govern the use of artificial intelligence and cellphones, and offers a handful of $100,000 grants to community colleges for implementing AI.

Starting this fall, every K-12 district in Missouri, including charter schools, will need a written policy prohibiting students from using personal devices during the school day, with some circumstantial exceptions.

Implemented several years before the rise of smartphones, the old policy was actually more strict, only making exceptions for high school students at lunch. They can now use devices in between classes as well.

The new website includes a policy FAQ, toolkit and examples that school districts can use to design their own policies to restrict personal devices from being used on school grounds during the school day.

After proposed legislation failed to pass a senate committee, an executive order made Oregon the latest state to restrict student use of cellphones during the school day, requiring districts to write their own policies.

To comply with the state's Focus Act, school board members at a district in northern Alabama approved a policy outlining what the instructional day is, what's not allowed and what the exceptions are.

A new state law, passed with near unanimous support last week from state legislators, has exemptions for special circumstances and doesn’t cover non-instructional times of the school day.

Legislation signed by Gov. Greg Abbott last week leaves it up to individual school districts to establish standards for storing cell phones during class and set discipline procedures for those who break the rules.

In response to problems with inappropriate contact, a new law in Kentucky requires school districts to designate a traceable communications tool as the exclusive means by which employees may reach out to students.

One year after implementing phone restrictions, a Washington state school district has seen improvements in attendance and discipline. Teachers have seen higher engagement, while student reactions are divided.

The Johnston County school board has prohibited both teachers and students from using their cellphones during class. This drew a backlash from some teachers, while a board member said principals asked for such a policy.

In separate interviews, representatives from the Massachusetts Coalition for Phone Free Schools and the Johns Hopkins Center for Safe and Healthy Schools discuss their views on competing ideas behind phone restrictions.

An impending report from the Governor’s Advisory Council for Student Safety and Well-Being will include guidance on how schools can implement student phone policies, as well as examples of legitimate exemptions.

A venture fund within Tulane University's Innovation Institute will lead a $1 million funding round for a New Orleans-based company Hilight, whose online tool proposes to save schools up to $25,000 to replace lost staff.