DES MOINES, IOWA (January 24, 2025) — Governor Kim Reynolds has released a bill to restrict students’ cell-phone use during instructional time. The bill establishes a floor, or a minimum standard, that all Iowa school districts will be required to adopt by July 1, 2025.
“Cell phones are not only a distraction but a deterrent to development in the classroom,” Gov Reynolds said. “Seven in ten high-school teachers say smartphones are a major problem and eighty percent of Gen Z students spend over six hours per day on their phone. Let’s return the classroom to a place for learning, growth, and connection to give students their best chance at success.”
The Iowa Department of Education will provide sample policies with room for potential common-sense exemptions. In partnership with the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Education will also provide guidance and support for schools that need to update their school safety plans.
“I appreciate Gov Reynolds' commitment to support schools protecting the instructional time and keeping such time free from distractions,” Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr Ian Roberts said. “While cell phones are a part of our daily lives, they are also a distraction when used at the wrong time or place. In schools, a common-sense approach to limit their use will keep students more engaged and teachers even more effective in the classroom of every school district. In Des Moines, we are seeing some positive results from a pilot program limiting cell phone usage at Hoover High School that gives us hope that this can make a positive difference in Iowa schools.”
"The recent implementation of our cell-phone policy is having a significant positive impact on our students' mental health, engagement in the classroom, academic performance, and connections with one another,” Ottumwa Community Schools Superintendent Michael McGrory said. “If adopted into law, Gov Reynolds' proposed cell phone bill would undoubtedly benefit students across Iowa."
The legislation also requires “effects of social media” training for sixth-through-eighth-grade students.
