County Boards of Education - Student Cellular Phone Use Policy - Establishment
Summary
HB57 requires every county board of education in Maryland to adopt and implement a policy limiting student cellular phone use during instructional time. The bill defines instructional time as any time during the school day except lunch, and it directs schools to prohibit phone use during that period while also requiring students to keep phones stored in a secure place such as a locker, closed backpack, or school-provided storage container.
The bill includes specific exceptions. A student may use a phone when the use is documented in the student’s individualized education program, when needed to monitor or address a documented health issue, or when an educator or administrator directs its use for educational purposes. Each county board’s policy must also include disciplinary measures for violations, and the act would take effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
HB57 would add a new section to the Education Article, creating a statewide mandate for county boards of education to regulate student cellphone use during instructional time. It would not directly impose a single uniform discipline code, but it would require local school systems to adopt policies that prohibit routine phone use, require secure storage, and establish consequences for violations. The bill would affect students, parents, school administrators, and county boards of education, while preserving accommodations for special education, health-related needs, and teacher-directed instructional use.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the overall sentiment appears to be supportive of restricting cellphone use in schools to reduce distraction and improve classroom focus. The bill’s structure suggests an effort to balance that goal with exceptions for student health, disability-related needs, and educational use, indicating a policy approach aimed at broad acceptance rather than an outright ban without carveouts.
Contention
The main points of contention likely involve how strictly schools should restrict student phones, how to define and enforce “instructional time,” and what disciplinary measures are appropriate for violations. Potential concerns could come from parents and students worried about emergency communication, from advocates for students with disabilities or medical conditions who need phone access, and from local school systems that may prefer flexibility rather than a statewide requirement. The bill’s exceptions for IEP-related use, health monitoring, and educator-directed purposes appear designed to address those concerns.