Use of Wireless Communications Devices in Schools:
SB 1296 would direct the Florida Commissioner of Education to work with six selected school districts to implement and study policies that prohibit student use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices during the entire school day, including while on school grounds and during certain off-campus school activities. The selected districts must represent small, medium, and large counties and must either already have such a policy in place or adopt one for the 2025-2026 school year. The Department of Education would then submit a report to legislative leaders by December 1, 2026, evaluating the effect of each district’s policy on student achievement and behavior.
The bill also requires the report to include a model policy that school districts and charter schools may adopt statewide. That model policy must address limited exceptions for students with disabilities or English Language Learners who need devices to access curriculum, for health or emergency reasons, during disasters, on school buses, before or after school hours, and for extracurricular activities outside the school day. It must also include student code of conduct provisions covering violations such as illegal behavior, bullying or harassment, cheating, and recording students during medical issues or misconduct.
The bill would not immediately impose a statewide ban, but it would create a state-directed pilot and reporting process that could shape future statewide policy on student use of wireless devices in schools. It would affect school districts and charter schools by producing a model policy and by identifying conduct standards and exceptions that districts may adopt or adapt. The bill also signals potential changes to student discipline rules, academic integrity policies, and privacy protections related to photos and videos taken at school.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no detailed public debate captured here. Based on the bill text, the measure appears to reflect a generally restrictive approach to student cellphone use in schools, while still preserving exceptions for accessibility, health, emergencies, and extracurricular needs. The bill’s structure suggests an interest in gathering evidence before broader adoption, which may make it more palatable to districts and lawmakers who want data before mandating a statewide policy.
The main points of contention likely involve how far a school cellphone ban should go, whether a statewide model should be mandatory or merely advisory, and how to balance classroom management with student access needs. Potential concerns include enforcement burdens, student privacy, and discipline for violations, especially where conduct may overlap with bullying, cheating, or illegal behavior. Another likely area of debate is the scope of exceptions for students with disabilities, English Language Learners, medical needs, and emergency situations, as well as whether off-campus school activities and transportation should be covered.