Overview

• Lawmakers approved the revision to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act by 115 votes, with the ban starting March 1, 2026.
• The law makes device use during class the default prohibition, with exceptions for disabilities, emergencies, and teacher-approved instructional use.
• Principals and teachers are empowered to restrict possession or use and to apply warnings, counseling, or discipline under school regulations.
• The statute formalizes restrictions many schools already practiced and aligns with a recent human rights ruling that phone collection at school does not violate students’ rights.
• Youth advocacy groups and some parties criticize the law as infringing students’ communication and privacy rights despite its bipartisan passage.