The restrictions will not apply for the first half of the school year.
NORTH CAROLINA, USA — As students return to classrooms Monday, a new rule banning cell phone use during class will take effect later this school year.
Starting Jan. 1, students will be banned from using cell phones during class under House Bill 959, which Gov. Josh Stein signed into law this summer.
The law requires every school district to adopt policies limiting phone use. At minimum, phones must be prohibited during instructional time, with exceptions for emergencies and health needs.
Because districts have until Jan. 1 to comply, the restrictions will not apply for the first half of the school year.
Most districts already have some version of a cell phone policy, but the law makes such rules mandatory statewide.
Stein said the measure will help students focus in the classroom.
“When teachers don’t have to compete with cell phones for student attention, real learning happens. This bipartisan bill gives students a distraction-free learning environment so they can focus on their education, and it provides a seven-hour mental break from the unrelenting pressures of phones and social media. Earlier this month, my Advisory Council on Student Safety and Well-being released its first report recommending this step and outlining best practices for creating cell phone-free classrooms. It will serve as a resource for our school systems as they implement these common-sense policies. I appreciate the General Assembly’s work here. Let’s keep working together to set up North Carolina students for success.”
