Bipartisan bill would give schools resources to keep phones and other personal electronic devices out of classrooms

Read in the Washington Post: Bipartisan bill seeks to ban cellphones in schools nationwide

This week, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the bipartisan Utilize No Phones in Learning to Unleash Growth in Grades and Educate Distraction-free (UNPLUGGED) Schools Grant Act of 2026 to help schools reduce classroom distractions by keeping phones and other personal electronic devices out of students' hands.

Cell phones have become a growing distraction in schools, making it harder for students to focus and learn. More than half of American public-school leaders report that cell phones have negatively affected student academic performance, while kids and teenagers are spending increasing amounts of time on screens outside the classroom as well.

"Phones in schools have been a disaster for learning." said Kelly. "Getting phones out of classrooms will mean fewer distractions and more time for kids to focus on their teachers and lessons. We're giving schools the tools to make that happen."

"Arkansas kids deserve classrooms free of distractions. This bill would support Arkansas public schools that choose to tailor their classroom cellphone guidance to ensure students have the most productive school days possible," said Cotton.

"No other policy change would confer as big and as rapid a benefit to American schools as freeing students from the constant distractions of the buzzing phones in their pockets," said social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author, The Anxious Generation & Cofounder, The TAG Movement. "To support kids' mental health, educational success, and ability to pay attention - all schools in America should go bell-to-bell phone free. Schools that go phone free almost always report increased student engagement, decreased disciplinary problems, and, most touchingly, teachers say that they hear laughter in the hallways again."

The UNPLUGGED Schools Grant Act is supported by The Anxious Generation movement, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the National Education Association.

Background:

The UNPLUGGED Schools Grant Act would establish a federal grant program for states that adopt policies prohibiting students from possessing or using personal electronic devices during school hours. The funding would help schools put those policies into practice, including by paying for secure storage options such as lockers, lock boxes, or phone pouches.

To qualify for funding, states would develop their policies in coordination with local school districts and in consultation with educators, parents, and students. The bill makes sure parents have a voice in how these policies are developed and can still reach their kids through school personnel about time-sensitive issues, like changes in pick-up times. It also includes exceptions for students who need access to a device because of a health condition, disability, or special need, while giving states flexibility to provide additional exceptions when appropriate.

Kelly, a product of public schools, has made strengthening public education a priority in the Senate. Earlier this year, Kelly introduced the bipartisan Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development (READ) Act to improve child literacy and the Educators for America Act to strengthen the teacher workforce and expand opportunities for Americans to become educators.

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