Students across Orange County will experience limited phone usage during school hours in the upcoming academic year. This change comes as districts comply with Assembly Bill 3216, also known as the Phone-Free School Act. Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 23, 2024, the act requires all California school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education to develop and implement policies that restrict student phone use on campus. The policies must be updated every five years.
According to the Voice of OC, schools have the flexibility to determine how to enforce these restrictions. Options include wall-mounted phone holders, confiscation of devices, or directing students to store phones away. Some schools, like Newport-Mesa Unified School District, have adopted Yondr pouches—magnetized pockets that lock phones during school hours.
The bill’s supporters argue that limiting phone use can enhance student participation, improve mental health, and create a distraction-free learning environment. Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, co-author of the bill, stated, “The law recognizes that excessive smartphone use is impacting student learning and empowers school districts to implement solutions.”…