Overview
- The Pennsylvania Senate passed a bipartisan bell-to-bell bill (SB1014) that now moves to the House with implementation targeted for the 2027–28 school year.
- SB1014 leaves enforcement design to local districts and includes exceptions for medical needs, IEP/504 accommodations, translation, narrowly approved instructional uses, and requires alternative parent contact methods.
- Indiana’s Senate approved SB78 to require students to leave phones at home or place them in secure storage for the full day, with House consideration expected as lawmakers seek clarity on enforcement.
- Districts report steep costs for storage solutions such as Yondr pouches—Fort Wayne estimated $400,000–$500,000—though some educators cite improved behavior and academic focus under bell-to-bell policies.
- Nationwide momentum is building, with 38 states and Washington, D.C., enacting limits; a new report card awarded top grades to only two states that require inaccessible storage, and research highlights benefits alongside uneven compliance.