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The Prince William County School Board voted on Wednesday, Dec. 4 to adopt a bell-to-bell cell phone ban for all schools, which will take effect in August 2025.
The policy aligns with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 33, promoting cell phone-free learning environments in public schools.
“'Bell-to-Bell' means from when the first bell rings at the start of the school day to begin instructional time until the dismissal bell rings at the end of the academic school day, including lunch and time in between class periods," the policy states.
Under the new policy, elementary school students will be required to turn off and store their phones during school hours, including field trips, except during transportation.
For middle and high school students, cell phones must remain off and stored from the tardy bell to dismissal, including field trips, but may be used before or after school hours.
According to school officials, the key objectives of the newly enacted policy include:
- Boosting student engagement and classroom participation;
- Encouraging face-to-face interactions to foster interpersonal skills;
- Minimizing interruptions to the learning process for better academic outcomes;
- Promoting responsible digital citizenship among students.
Research shows that even brief cell phone usage can disrupt focus, with students taking up to 10 minutes to reengage after being distracted, they said.
Officials hope the policy will lead to better engagement, fewer interruptions, improved academic outcomes, and stronger interpersonal skills through face-to-face interaction.
“I truly believe cell phones are a barrier to one’s potential,” Dr. Babur Lateef, Chairman At-Large stated. “The research has shown that this tethering to a phone is disruptive to learning.
"Students’ minds should be focused on the lessons in front of them and not on the distractions in their pockets.”
The policy follows a successful pilot program conducted at 33 schools during the 2024-25 school year, officials added. PWCS and individual schools will share further details about implementation as the August 2025 start date approaches.
For now, students will continue following the existing cell phone guidelines for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year.
The complete policy can be found here.
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