Gov. Kehoe Signs Education Bills on Substitutes, Cell Phones

Metro school districts react to new Missouri cell phone policy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Cell phone use will be banned during the school day in Missouri next school year, as districts across the state are directed to put in new polices after Governor Mike Kehoe signed a bill this week. In the metro, the Blue Springs School District sent a letter to families alerting them that students will not be allowed to use their "electronic communication devices" during the school day. "While the law aims to reduce distracti…

Phones Down, Heads Up: East Texas districts to enforce cell phone ban in new school year

TYLER, Texas (KETK) -- After the Texas House and Senate approved House Bill 1481, which bans students from using cell phones during school hours, school districts across East Texas are now working to update their policies to comply with the new law. Texas students’ cell phones banned from schools under new law H.B. 1481 now requires public schools to develop a plan to implement these new regulations. The bill passed the House on April 24 w…

What to know about the new Knox County Schools cellphone policy

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knox County Board of Education on Thursday approved a new countywide policy to align with a new state law prohibiting the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time. The changes are aimed primarily at curbing distractions and online bullying by restricting access to cellphones, but state law and the new county policy also applies to wireless communication devices (WCDs) like smartwatches, laptop…

Madison County Schools to prohibit headphone use during school hours

MADISON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) - The Madison County School District announced changes to the student electronics policy for the upcoming 2025-26 school year. According to the new policy, all students will be prohibited from using headphones and earbuds during school hours. There will be limited cellphone use for middle and high school students. Officials with the school district said high school students will be asked to refrain from using any per…

Carlisle joins list of high schools banning cell phones during class time

CARLISLE — In what it hopes will be an academics-first step, Carlisle Area School District will implement a classroom cell phone ban at Carlisle High School this year.

Banning cellphones in Oklahoma schools may be a smart move, but don’t overlook the parking lot • Oklahoma Voice

A poster reads, "bell to bell, no cell" at the Jenks Public Schools Math and Science Center on Nov. 13, 2024. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)Oklahoma lawmakers may be headed in the right direction with a new law that bans cellphone use during the school day in a bid to improve student focus, mental health and classroom performance. But as districts craft policies to comply with Senate Bill 139, I hope they’ll also think beyond the …