Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ bill to ban cell phones during instructional time in schools advanced in the Senate Wednesday.
The proposed bill would require school districts to adopt policies banning the use of personal electronic devices — including cell phones, video game devices and portable media players — during instructional time at a minimum. The bill would apply to K-12 public, charter and innovation zone schools beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
The bill would also require sixth, seventh and eighth graders at public, accredited nonpublic, charter and innovation zone schools to learn about the effects of social media as part of their required health curriculum.
In her Condition of the State address this year, Reynolds said the legislation would help keep classrooms free from digital distractions. She praised Hoover High in Des Moines and the Ottumwa Community School District for already implementing bans during instructional time or during the whole school day, respectively.
“A good case can be made for either policy or something in between — and I applaud the administrators, teachers and parents coming together to find the right balance for their communities,” Reynolds said. “What’s no longer acceptable is doing nothing."
School districts can adopt stricter policies for banning cell phones but would need to follow the state mandate as a baseline or “floor.” Students with disabilities or health issues would be eligible for exemptions.
Schools with cell phone restrictions in place have seen success
Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow said cell phone bans in Iowa and other states have shown signs of success.
“We have seen that schools implementing these cell phone policies have experienced fewer disruptive behaviors, including physical aggression, fewer instances of bullying, including social media related conflicts, and they've also experienced increased student engagement and improved student and teacher morale,” Snow said.
Nathan Arnold, a lobbyist from the Professional Educators of Iowa, supported the bill and said social media and cell phones can cause problems in the classroom.
“It contributes to disruptions that make teaching very difficult — belligerent behavior from students,” Arnold said. “So, for a host of reasons, I think the teaching profession will be a lot better if we minimize, or even eliminate, cell phone use from the classroom.”
Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, acknowledged cell phones are an issue and said local districts already have the authority to establish their own policies. He called the bill a distraction from the governor’s other educational policies around book censorship, school funding and Area Education Agencies.
“I appreciate the fact that there is some flexibility in here,” Quirmbach said. “But really in this situation, given that everybody is moving in the right direction and has the authority to do so, why does the governor need to get involved?”
What's in the bill?
Under the bill, the director of the Department of Education would need to provide sample policies to schools that would satisfy the bill requirements. And, the Department of Education would be required to work with the Department of Public Safety to help schools update their emergency plans to accommodate the new policies.
The Department of Education would also have to consult with the Department of Health and Human Services on the effects of social media and provide professional development support for teachers covering the coursework.
Margaret Buckton, a lobbyist with the Urban Education Network of Iowa and Rural School Advocates of Iowa, said the state needs to make sure the Department of Education consults the departments first before schools have to implement the ban.
“We should have the resources available first and then have the mandate, so we don't have districts having to back up and redo things once they find out the rules and the guidance and the model policies," she said.
School districts would also have to outline how a parent or guardian can communicate with their child during school hours and during an emergency as part of their cell phone ban policy.
No groups were registered against the bill.
