Pennsylvania classrooms are one step closer to becoming cell phone-free.
The Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee this week advanced bipartisan legislation that would require schools to adopt policies restricting student cell phone use during the school day.
The legislation, which received unanimous approval from the committee, now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
Sens. Devlin Robinson (R-37, Allegheny County), Vince Hughes (D-7, Philadelphia) and Steve Santarsiero (D-10, Bucks County) sponsored the legislation.
“The evidence is overwhelming — student cell phone use in schools is harming learning, social skills and emotional well-being,” the senators said in a joint statement. “Today’s bipartisan vote reflects a shared commitment to creating healthier, more focused school environments where students can learn without constant digital interruption.”
Regional, national laws on cell phone use in classrooms
Across Northeast and Central Pennsylvania, rules on cell phone use vary greatly, from allowing students to use phones in hallways and cafeterias, to requiring students to keep their phones in locked pouches.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia started this school year with new restrictions, bringing the total to 35 states with laws or rules limiting phones and other electronic devices in school, according to the Associated Press.
Both Scranton Preparatory School in Lackawanna County and the Wyoming Area School District in Luzerne County created policies this year that require students to lock their phones in a pouch when they enter the building. The policies have brought “life” back to hallways and cafeterias, with students interacting more. Teachers say the policies have created more engagement in classrooms.
Montoursville Area School District implemented a locked pouch system in January. Since then, discipline referrals have dropped between 20-25%. The failure rate, or the number of students who fail a course, declined 37% after the cell phone ban.
The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), the state's largest teachers union, commended the committee for advancing the proposal.
PSEA Vice President Jeff Ney, a Wilkes-Barre teacher, said mobile devices disrupt students from learning, facilitate cyberbullying and are a contributing factor to student mental health issues.
“Your average teenager gets 237 texts per day. Think about just how distracting that is during a seven-hour school day when students are supposed to be focused on their learning,” Ney said in a statement. “Greater access to mobile devices and social media has also occurred alongside a precipitous rise in mental health issues, like depression, anxiety and a lack of emotional regulation.”
Pennsylvania cell phone legislation details
The bill, which must still be approved by the full Senate and also by the House, would require each school district to develop its own “bell-to-bell” cell phone policy. But the standard will be consistent statewide: students may not use cell phones during the school day.
Districts would retain flexibility to choose the enforcement method that works best for their communities. The bill includes exceptions for medical needs, IEPs requiring a communication device, English-language learners using translation apps and limited instructional use with teacher and administrator permission.
“This legislation is about giving students the chance to be present — with their teachers, with their peers and with their learning,” the senators said in their statement. “We’re proud to lead this effort and grateful for the strong support behind it.”
Other actions by the Senate Education Committee
Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-27, Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland and Snyder counties), serves as chair of the Senate Education Committee.
Along with the cell phone bill, the committee advanced two other bills to the full Senate for consideration:
● A bill sponsored by Sen. Dave Argall (R-29, Carbon, Luzerne and Schuylkill counties), that would allow 11th and 12th grade students to earn elective credits for work experience in healthcare and long term care settings.
● The committee also approved Senate Bill 974, sponsored by Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-21, Butler, Clarion, Erie, Forest, Venango and Warren counties), which aims to expand access to dual credit opportunities in underserved and rural communities.
“Each of these bills reflects ongoing efforts to support student learning, expand opportunity and strengthen outcomes for schools across Pennsylvania,” Culver said in a statement. “I look forward to continued collaboration as these measures move through the legislative process.”
