HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Huntsville City Schools students must comply with a ban on personal electronic devices when classes resume Monday, following the district’s implementation of a new Wireless Communication Device policy in response to Alabama’s recently enacted FOCUS Act.
Gov. Kay Ivey signed the FOCUS Act (Freeing Our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety) into law on May 14, with requirements taking effect July 1. The state legislation requires that public schools across Alabama limit student use of wireless communication devices during instructional time to improve focus, safety, and classroom engagement.
Under Huntsville’s new district-wide policy, students must turn off all personal electronic devices and keep them stored in backpacks from the moment they enter school buildings until they exit at the end of the school day. Only school-issued computers will be permitted for educational use during school hours…