Gov. Josh Shapiro signs bell-to-bell school cell phone ban into law

Pennsylvania schools will now be required to develop and implement a bell-to-bell ban on student cell phone use under legislation signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro on Monday. 

Shapiro signed Senate Bill 1014 at a bill-signing ceremony at Lenape Middle School in Bucks County. Under the new law, schools must adopt policies that prohibit the use of mobile devices during the school day, including during lunchtime, recess and between classes by the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year.

The governor said schools that have already banned student cell phone use have seen major benefits, giving students more time to concentrate on their courses and connect with peers. 

“Students all across Pennsylvania – some experiencing these bell-to-bell bans for the first time, and some who will when this law goes into effect – they’re having more time to connect, they’re having more time to engage with their friends, they’re having more time to concentrate,” Shapiro said. “That’s a great thing for education across Pennsylvania.”

Under the new law, schools must notify parents and guardians how they can contact students during the school day, including during emergencies. 

School-level cell phone bans will include exemptions for students who require a mobile device due to a medical condition, students who have an individualized education program or 504 service agreement, English language learners using phones for translation, and students who have permission to use their phone for educational purposes. 

Shapiro, who called for lawmakers to act on legislation to ban cell phone use in schools in his 2026-27 budget address, was joined by Democratic state Sen. Steve Santarsiero and Democratic state Reps. Mandy Steele and Tim Brennan. 

Parents, teachers and students who attended Shapiro’s press conference lauded the new law, including Kirstin McGowan, co-leader of PA Unplugged, an organization that has pushed for restrictions on student cell phone use across Pennsylvania. 

McGowan, a mother of two students in the Central Bucks School District, said she has seen how access to cell phones has drastically changed how students learn. 

“Like many other parents, I began noticing the very different childhood kids are experiencing with the early and constant pull of technology and social media,” she said. “The research is clear that personal electronic devices – with their addictive algorithms – are contributing significantly to the declining academic performance, deteriorating mental health, and ultimately our kids’ safety, and they have no place distracting kids during the academic day.”

Christie Besack, a high school social studies teacher in the Central Bucks School District, said she has seen the benefits of a school cell phone ban firsthand, as Central Bucks has had one in place for roughly two years.

“For us, this bill really isn’t theoretical. We have already seen firsthand what happens when students put their phones away. They're more present. They talk to each other more. They’re more engaged in class, and teachers can focus on teaching instead of constantly managing the phones in their hands,” Besack said.

“By removing distractions from the classroom, we are improving students’ educational outcomes and ensuring they are in the best position to succeed,” she added. 

Asked about funding to help schools implement cell phone restrictions, Shapiro noted that lawmakers in Harrisburg have approved grant funding to buy lockable bags to store smartphones during the school day. Ultimately, he said, each school district can decide the best way to restrict phone use and keep phones out of classrooms, whether that means requiring students to keep them in lockers or using a different approach. 

Republican state Sen. Devlin Robinson, the bill's prime sponsor, said in a statement that Monday marked a win for students and schools across Pennsylvania. 

“I am thrilled that we were able to pass this bill to prohibit cellphone use in schools,” Robinson said.

Lawmakers at Monday’s press conference agreed, with Santarsiero, a former teacher, stressing how important it is for students to be distraction-free during the school day.

“As the governor just said, that distraction can have really negative impacts on our kids, not just learning instructional time, but that other piece that's so critically important too, and that is when you are interacting with your friends in the halls, at recess, at lunch. That socialization … that time is so critical when you’re making those connections and you’re learning how to navigate relationships for the rest of your lives,” Santarsiero said.  

Santarsiero added that it’s not just students who experience the distracting nature of smartphones and tech, noting that he can see it firsthand in the General Assembly as well. 

When I spoke on the Senate floor the other day, I joked, but it’s true. Many of my colleagues in the chamber were looking at their phones. Now, I thought to myself, I guess my speech is not that riveting, but it’s also the fact that we’re addicted to it too,” he said. This is, I believe, a first step for us – a very important step in our schools for sure.”