Pennsylvania is working to join Delaware and at least 37 other states that have enacted restrictions on student cellphone use in schools.
The Pennsylvania House on Monday approved House Bill 1814, a bipartisan measure that would require students to secure their cellphones during the school day and prevent access to the devices until classes end. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Supporters of the bill say the restrictions are intended to reduce classroom distractions, improve student focus, and address concerns about social media’s impact on students during the school day.
While Pennsylvania lawmakers continue to debate the issue, Delaware has already enacted statewide legislation addressing cellphone use in schools.
In March, Senate Bill 106 was signed into law, after the measure received bipartisan support in the Delaware General Assembly. The law requires every Delaware school district and charter school to adopt a student cellphone policy developed with educator input.
Unlike the Pennsylvania proposal, Delaware’s law does not create a statewide ban on student cellphone possession. Instead, it establishes minimum standards that every district must follow. School policies must limit cellphone use during instructional time, define acceptable and unacceptable use, identify when and where phones may be used, establish consequences for violations, and provide exceptions for emergencies and medical or educational accommodations.
The legislation gives local school districts flexibility to determine how the rules will be implemented while requiring that adopted policies be publicly posted and shared with the Delaware Department of Education. School districts and charter schools have until August 31, 2026, to post their finalized policies online.
