TOPEKA, Kan., Jan 17, 2026, 02:18 (CST)
Kansas lawmakers heard divided testimony this week on a bill that would tighten rules on student cellphone use in K-12 schools statewide, as backers framed it as a way to cut distractions and critics warned of a one-size-fits-all mandate. The Kansas Board of Education said it remained neutral but preferred districts keep the power to tailor policies. (Wibw)
Senate Bill 302 would bar students from using personal electronic communication devices during “instructional time,” defined as the period from the start of the school day until dismissal on school premises, including lunch, recess and passing periods — essentially a bell-to-bell restriction. It would cover phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches and even wireless earbuds unless the device is school-issued, and it would also restrict school employees from privately or directly communicating with students on social media for official school purposes.
The measure was introduced on Jan. 12 and referred to the Senate Committee on Education the next day, a legislative tracker showed. The Kansas Legislature’s website listed both chambers as adjourned until Jan. 20. (Kslegislature)
A fiscal note from the Kansas Division of the Budget said districts and accredited nonpublic schools would have to certify by Sept. 1, 2026 that they adopted policies to comply. It said the bill does not provide added state aid and cited an illustrative estimate that a pouch system costing about $30 per student could total about $13.4 million statewide, using a 446,000 weighted full-time enrollment figure; it also described a “504 plan” as a legal document providing disability accommodations.
At the Senate Education Committee hearing, supporters outnumbered opponents about 2-to-1, FOX Kansas reported. The station said a high school student told lawmakers she worried about consequences for herself and others if the ban becomes law. (KSAS)
The proposal has drawn backing from both parties, and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has signaled support, Kansas Reflector reported. Timothy Graham of the Kansas National Education Association told senators, “Our members are all over the place on this issue,” while Wichita school board member Ngoc Vuong cited the rise of a “screen-based childhood” and retired detective Kevin Cronister said phones make students “easier targets” for predators; student Kailey Howell said she was “having to bear the weight” of consequences not meant for her. (The Lawrence Times)
Some districts are already moving on their own. Andover Public Schools plans to change its policy so high school students must turn off phones and keep them in lockers or backpacks, matching the district’s middle school rule, and the school board is set to vote next month, KWCH reported. (Kwch)
A national Pew Research Center survey released this week found teens largely oppose all-day cellphone bans: 73% said they would oppose a ban that prevents middle and high school students from using cellphones during the entire school day, while 17% supported it. Teens were more split on classroom-only bans, with 41% support and 51% opposition, Pew said. (Pew Research Center)
Research groups and governors have pushed states toward stricter rules. A University of Pennsylvania report on a survey of more than 20,000 educators said tougher, school-wide policies were linked to less disruption and higher teacher satisfaction, quoting psychologist Angela Duckworth: “The stricter the policy, the happier the teacher,” and it pointed to Arkansas’ new “bell-to-bell” law as one recent example. (Penn Today)
But tighter bans can come with a messy start. An NBER working paper on Florida’s phone ban said schools saw an “adjustment period” with higher suspension rates — particularly among Black students — before later gains that included improved test scores and fewer unexcused absences. (NBER)
In a Jan. 16 editorial, KMBC 9’s Justin Antoniotti called the Kansas proposal “a step in the right direction.” (Kmbc)
