School districts, students and educators respond to new 'bell-to-bell' cellphone ban

SALT LAKE CITY — This school year may look different for some Utah students, in the wake of new laws around cellphone use during school hours.

The new laws surrounding cellular device usage were passed during the 2026 legislative session. Gov. Spencer Cox signed SB69 on March 18.

The new law is a school-device revisions bill that ultimately removes cellphones from students' hands throughout the school day. Before the law was passed, students were prohibited from using cellphones during instructional periods.

Although Utah legislators set forth the terms, each school district can set its own policy.

Dixie High School students wasted no time taking out their phones after school started for them last week. They have to keep them out of sight during class.

Houston Holt, a senior, said keeping cellphones out of the classroom makes it easier for him to make friends.

"I think it's pretty good overall," he said. "It's definitely a better way to make friends; you're not always on social media like the whole class."

KSL surveyed each district in the state to learn more about the specific phone policies students and their parents will be expected to follow.

Some districts, including Utah's largest school district in Alpine, ban phones from the moment the first bell rings until the second the last bell sounds — bell-to-bell for all grades.

Rich Stowell, director of communications for Alpine School District, said all 90 schools operating within the district will enforce cellphone rules that align with the new law.

"We have a policy that aligns perfectly with state law," he said. "Our kids are going to come into our schools, and they're going to learn and be engaged in classrooms with some of the best teachers, and they won't have devices to distract them because of our policy." Stowell said the district expects students will bring cellular devices to school, but students are asked to turn them off and keep them hidden in a locker or backpack.

He said that last year, some schools in the district, as well as other districts in the state, allowed students to use cellphones between classes and/or at lunch. Now, that won't be allowed.

"In this case, the goal for everybody is to increase student engagement in the classroom, and increase student learning, and increase student connection, peer to peer and student to adult," Stowell said. "We know that those things are going to be better for students overall well-being in the long run."

Other school districts following bell-to-bell policies include Beaver, Daggett, Juab, Kane, Park City, Piute, San Juan and Tooele.

Many districts, including Davis, Jordan, Weber, Box Elder, Cache, Logan, Morgan, Murray, North Sanpete and Wasatch, ban phones only in elementary schools. Secondary students in those districts can, however, use phones between classes and at lunch.

Other school districts, including Canyons, Granite, Nebo, Provo, Salt Lake, Washington, Carbon, Duchesne, Iron, Rich, South San Pete, and Emery – but not Green River High, ban cell phones for elementary and junior high, but allow them in high schools.

North Summit and Sevier school districts are allowing all grades to have phones, just not during class time.

Many districts have also specifically banned phones in school restrooms and locker rooms and, in some cases, buses.

Weber School District spokesman Lane Findlay said the district was seeing problems in spaces that were supposed to be private.

"Kids taking pictures under the stalls and we had some social media challenges," Findlay said.

And the Washington School District will allow smartwatches but not phones.

"But they have to be in silent mode," said Steven Dunham, district director of communications. "Or, some of them actually have a school mode, and that's important because parents use watches to track their students' location a lot."

Dunham said students and parents have supported the district's policy change.

State law requires schools to have exemptions for students who have special needs, health issues or have an emergency during the day.

"If there's an emergency, a student needs to ask their teacher for a chance to go to the office and use (their cellphone) to make a call," Dunham said.

As far as students are concerned, many seem to appreciate the change

"I think it's a good idea to not have kids on their screens the whole entire day, so they can be productive and make a lot of friends and stuff," sixth-grader Addison Deamer said.

Many districts that already piloted cellphone restrictions are seeing notably improved behaviors. Ogden principals, for example, told KSL that fighting incidents are down 45% and cyberbullying is down 65%, likely because phones aren't a distraction or a way to stir up trouble.

Valley Elementary Principal Crystal Deamer said minor disagreements happen less often without phones in the mix.

"I feel like this is such an important time," she said. "Kids are learning how to build their social skills, to learn how to connect, and a lot of the learning should still be hands-on and just the interactive piece is important."

The bottom line for lawmakers and educators is to create a learning environment free from what most everyone agrees is a huge distraction. Deamer said removing distractions from educational settings helps preserve the integrity of learning spaces.

School districts across the state have acknowledged that this year's policies are a work in progress, and as smart glasses and other technology evolve, so will the rules.

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