Pennsylvania schools will be required to restrict students from possessing and using cellphones and other mobile devices throughout the school day under a law signed Monday by Governor Josh Shapiro.
Senate Bill 1014 applies to public school districts, intermediate units, career and technical schools, charter and cyber charter schools, private schools, approved private schools and nonpublic schools. Each covered school must adopt and implement a policy by the beginning of the 2027-28 school year.
The requirement is intended to be bell-to-bell. That means a school’s policy must cover class time as well as lunch, recess and the time students spend moving between classes. The law does not require schools to take physical possession of every device, leaving local officials to decide how restrictions will work in their buildings.
Policies must include exceptions for documented medical needs, disability or special-education accommodations, English-language learning devices and limited instructional uses approved by the school. Schools must also tell parents how emergency communication will be handled, provide an opportunity for public input and publish their adopted policies online.
The measure passed with bipartisan support, receiving a 141-62 vote in the House and a 47-3 vote in the Senate. Pennsylvania becomes the 25th state to enact a statewide phone-free school policy, according to the Governor’s Office.
State officials cited concerns about distraction, student well-being and face-to-face interaction. Local districts will now be responsible for writing the detailed rules, explaining enforcement and setting emergency procedures before the statewide deadline.
