Virginia bans phones for all K-12 students

Virginia’s new school cellphone rules now cover every public K-12 student for the full school day. State guidance defines the policy as “bell-to-bell,” meaning phones must be turned off and stored from the first bell until dismissal, including lunch and time between classes. The Virginia Department of Education says the final guidance was issued after public comment and is tied to the state’s cell phone-free education initiative. WSLS reported on August 5 that the expanded rule removes exceptions that had allowed some older students to keep phones during non-classroom time. (doe.virginia.gov) ### What exactly changed for students in Virginia? (doe.virginia.gov) The Virginia Department of Education says “bell-to-bell” now means phones are off and put away from the start of instructional time until the dismissal bell rings. The guidance says that includes lunch and passing periods, not just time inside classrooms. WSLS reported that Virginia had already limited phone use in schools, but Senate Bill 108 expanded the rule so all public K-12 schools must enforce the full-day standard. The outlet said the most noticeable change will fall on high school students in divisions that had previously allowed phone access at lunch or between classes. (doe.virginia.gov) ### Does the rule apply the same way in elementary, middle and high school? Virginia’s guidance keeps the same bell-to-bell framework across grades, but it describes the restrictions by age group. Elementary students who bring a phone to school must keep it stored, off and away during the school day, and the guidance says it should not be used in the building or on school grounds before or after school. (doe.virginia.gov) Middle and high school students also should not have an easily accessible phone or other personal electronic communication device during the bell-to-bell school day, according to the guidance. (wsls.com) The state says local school divisions may set policies for use outside that period, including before and after school, and high school students may use phones on campus outside bell-to-bell time if local rules allow it. ### Are districts required to use locking pouches or phone bags? Roanoke County Public Schools told WSLS it does not plan to require magnetic pouches or lock bags. The district said students will be expected to keep phones off and put away themselves. (doe.virginia.gov) Chuck Lionberger, communications director for Roanoke County Public Schools, told WSLS the district was changing its high school practice to match the law. “High school is new, the law has changed, and so in accordance with the law, we are going to go to bell to bell,” he said. (doe.virginia.gov) ### Are there exceptions for medical or safety needs? The Virginia Department of Education says its final guidance includes a section on school safety considerations and addresses parents’ concerns about students with documented medical conditions who use phones to monitor their needs. The state says the guidance was written to help schools prepare for emergencies and improve communication with parents. (wsls.com) WSLS reported the rule allows exceptions in specific cases, though the baseline remains that phones are off and stored away throughout the day. Families will need to check local division policies for how those exceptions are handled in practice. (wsls.com) ### How does Virginia fit into the wider push on school phone restrictions? Indiana students returned to school this week under a new law requiring phones to remain out of sight from the first bell to the last during school hours, according to Fox 19. In Connecticut, the State Board of Education adopted guidance on August 5 encouraging districts to impose bell-to-bell restrictions on cellphones and other personal technology after lawmakers failed to pass a statewide ban earlier this year. (doe.virginia.gov) Pew Research Center said on July 29 that 48% of U.S. adults now support all-day cellphone bans for middle and high school students, up from 36% in 2024, while 77% support banning cellphone use during class. (wsls.com) ### Where can parents and students check the rule in their own district? The Virginia Department of Education maintains a statewide tracker of division cellphone policies on its website. The agency says the list is updated as policies are received from school divisions or identified by the department. (fox19.com) Local districts are now posting or revising their own rules for the 2026-27 school year under the state standard. Families can use the department’s tracker and their school division’s policy page to confirm how storage, exceptions and enforcement will work on campus. (doe.virginia.gov) (pewresearch.org)