US EditionKansas Legislators to Consider 'Bell to Bell' Cell Phone Ban at K-12 Schools
Senate Bill 302 targets reduced distractions and improved mental health by banning personal device use during instructional time in Kansas K-12 schools, backed by 28 co-sponsors.
- Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes and Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi unveiled Senate Bill 302 to limit student device use during class in Kansas schools.
- Supporters point to research showing studies on classroom phone restrictions link stronger engagement, peer relationships and academic outcomes, while the National Governors Association-led Phones in Focus effort advances related goals.
- Under the proposed rules, schools would prohibit students from using personal electronic communication devices during instructional time, with exceptions for Individualized Education Program, 504 plan or physician-approved medical necessity, and restrict private two-way employee-student messaging on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok while exempting virtual schools.
- The bill is slated for a Senate vote by the end of January, after which it would move to the Kansas House of Representatives and require the governor's signature; schools must certify policies to the Kansas State Board of Education by Sept. 1, 2026.
- States including Missouri have already moved on similar measures, and research shows that stricter rules, such as bell-to-bell policies, are linked to better outcomes, supported by the national movement documented in the Education Week survey.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Kansas Reflector
arkansasadvocate.comKansas lawmakers want statewide K-12 cellphone ban by next school year
Sens. Chase Blasi, an Andale Republican, and Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, stand on the Senate floor on Jan. 13, 2025, in Topeka, Kansas. The pair announced ahead of the 2026 legislative session a K-12 cell phone ban bill, which is supported by an additional 28 senators. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — Kansas legislators will pursue a statewide school cellphone ban, superseding the state education board’s past directives to a…
Bipartisan bill to ban cell phone use in school introduced
Two Kansas Senate leaders introduced bipartisan legislation on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, to prohibit students from using a cell phone in school. According to a press release, Senate Bill 302 — the text of which is not yet available — will prohibit cell phones in K-12 Kansas schools. “Phone-free schools give students space to think, build authentic human relationships, and protect student mental health from constant digital pressure,” Senate Maj…
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