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HARRISBURG, PA (Dec. 9, 2025) — The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) commended the state Senate Education Committee for approving legislation today that would prohibit student use and restrict student possession of personal mobile devices during the school day while on school property.

PSEA Vice President Jeff Ney said mobile devices disrupt students from learning, facilitate cyberbullying, and are a contributing factor to student mental health issues.

Senate Bill 1014, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sens. Devlin Robinson, Vincent Hughes, and Steve Santarsiero, would require school districts to adopt “bell-to-bell” policies that prohibit use and restrict possession of personal mobile devices during the school day. According to the bill’s sponsors, 27 states currently have laws restricting student mobile device use in schools, including 18 that have enacted “bell-to-bell” bans.

Ney said Senate Bill 1014 establishes a statewide expectation that public schools will prohibit student use and restrict student possession of mobile devices from the beginning bell of the day until dismissal.

“Mobile devices, like smartphones and watches, disrupt students from learning during the school day,” Ney said. “They contribute to students cheating, and they fuel cyberbullying and mental health risks for our students.

“Your average teenager gets 237 texts per day. Think about just how distracting that is during a seven-hour school day when students are supposed to be focused on their learning. Greater access to mobile devices and social media has also occurred alongside a precipitous rise in mental health issues, like depression, anxiety, and a lack of emotional regulation.

“This legislation takes a smart approach to smartphones and mobile devices. It sets a statewide standard for prohibiting use of the devices during the school day and removing these devices from classrooms, while leaving it up to each school district to figure out exactly how to implement it. And it goes beyond smartphones to include any internet-connected device, including various types of smartwatches, personal laptops, and tablets.

“This bill also respects that some school entities already have policies in place prohibiting use and restricting possession of student mobile devices during the school day. In some districts, devices must be in bookbags or lockers. Other districts have purchased lockable bags. Some have classroom caddies where phones can be stored but turned off. How restriction occurs should be up to each district with the input of their community, including parents, students, and school employees.

“Finally, this bill includes limited exceptions for students with medical conditions, IEPs, or 504 plans as well as students who are English learners and require translation services on mobile devices.

“We strongly encourage the full Senate to approve this bill and send it to the House of Representatives.”

Ney is a Wilkes-Barre Area elementary teacher and vice president of PSEA. An affiliate of the National Education Association, PSEA represents about 177,000 active and retired educators and school employees, aspiring educators, higher education staff, and health care workers in Pennsylvania.