Bill > SB29

This bill establishes a Phone-Free Schools Pilot Program in Carroll and Montgomery County public school systems, designed to study the impact of limiting student cell phone use during the school day. Under the program, each county will select one middle school and one high school to implement a policy prohibiting cell phone use during instructional time, with specific exceptions for students with individualized education programs, health documentation, or when an educator directs phone use for educational purposes. The schools will collect comprehensive data on the policy's effects, including academic achievement, classroom engagement, social interactions, behavior, discipline, and feedback from students, teachers, and parents. By September 1, 2026, each school system must submit a report to the Department of Education and the General Assembly analyzing the pilot program's effectiveness. The program is set to begin on July 1, 2025, and aims to provide insights into how reducing cell phone distractions might improve the educational environment and student outcomes.

Education

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0029?ys=2025RS