Cell Phone Policy Adoption and Implementation Status Survey
Research demonstrates that cell phone policies which limit student cell phone use can impact mental health and educational outcomes, including increases in productivity, reductions of bullying incidence, and increases in girls' grade point averages.
Without access to cell phones, students can focus on their surroundings, interactions with others, and their education. Without the interruptions caused by cell phones, school staff can spend more time teaching and supporting students.
Requirements for School Cell Phone Policies
Ohio law requires each school district, community school, and STEM school to adopt a policy prohibiting cell phone use by students during the instructional day by Jan. 1, 2026. An “instructional day” is any period of time in which a student is expected to be in attendance and includes not only formal instruction time but also supervised activities, such as transitioning between classes, recess, meal periods, and field trips.
Districts and schools that adopt a cell phone policy after Sept. 30, 2025 must do so at a public meeting of the board. Each district board must make their cell phone policy publicly available and post the policy prominently on its publicly accessible website, if it has one.
Districts and schools may prohibit students from carrying cell phones on school property. Districts and schools may also prohibit the use of all electronic communications devices which includes cell phones, smart watches, and other devices that are powered by batteries or electricity and that are capable of receiving, transmitting, or receiving and transmitting communications. This policy should list exceptions and disciplinary actions for violations. If a policy prohibiting cell phones on school property is implemented, the policy must be posted in a central location in each school building and available to students and parents upon request.
Students may need access to their cell phones for educational or medical reasons. The law allows students to use their devices for specific purposes related to:
If a student has a written statement from a doctor requiring the use of a cell phone to monitor a health concern, the district or school must allow the student to use a cell phone for that purpose.
Schools and districts can use the Department’s Model Cell Phones in Schools Policy to assist with crafting local policies.
Ohio’s Cell Phones in Schools Toolkit
In the United States, 95% of teens (ages 13 to 17) have access to cell phones. Cell phones and their applications are designed to catch the attention of students, which is disruptive to both learning and relationships. Even when students don’t check their cell phones, the presence of a phone impacts attention.