(The Center Square) – Following initiatives in other states, bipartisan legislation is making its way through the Colorado House requiring schools to regulate cell phone and smartwatch usage during the school day.
While House Bill 1135 does require that schools decide on a specific policy on student use of a “communication device,” it does not specify what that policy should be.
Five Democrats and two Republicans have signed onto the legislation, which was assigned to the House Education Committee. It will be considered by the committee on Feb. 13.
Legislators supporting the bill said it strikes a good middle ground on the issue of phones in schools.
“Our children deserve to learn absent constant and, at times, indecent distractions that jeopardize their wellbeing,” said state Rep. Mary Bradfield, R-Colorado Springs, one of the bill’s sponsors. “Furthermore, our teachers are here to educate our children, not act as the phone police.”
The bill would require that each institute charter school, district charter school and a local board of education for its schools that are not district charter schools have a policy implemented by July 1, 2026 “for the health, safety, and welfare of students.”
Devices included in the policy are any capable of making and receiving calls, sending and receiving text messages, or accessing the internet. School-issued laptops would not be included, and the bill has a provision for devices used to assist students with a medical condition. Any policy enacted must consider exceptions, emergency response and unintended burdens that might arise.
State Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, is also sponsoring the bill.
“As both a legislator and teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how phone use impacts our students’ learning and mental health,” she said on social media. “I’m working on bipartisan legislation that supports CO school districts in developing cellphone policies for their communities.”
In January, the Colorado Education Association released a report on cell phone usage in schools, calling them a source of “constant disruption.”
It states that nearly 44% of the Colorado association members surveyed indicated that their schools already have policies allowing students to possess cell phones, but not use them during the day.
So far, 18 states have passed legislation requiring that cell phones be restricted or banned during the school day.
Even in states like Colorado where there is not yet a statewide law, school districts are already taking action.
The Boulder Valley School District is one of those, strengthening its own restrictive cell phone policy in December.
The district’s school board voted 6-1 that high school students would no longer be able to utilize their phones during school hours on campus, including during passing periods and lunch. The district cited “concerns about students’ mental health” as reason for the change.
Enforcement of those policies can be a real challenge though, with the association’s report detailing that “only 51% of respondents felt their school’s cell phone policy was effectively enforced.”
Teachers are reporting that phones are a real problem in the classroom though, as the majority of Colorado’s association members (59%) also responded that they found cell phone use “very” or “somewhat” disruptive.
In December, the U.S. Education Department also released a recommendation that states and schools take action to put cell phone policies in place.
“The message is clear: educators are seeking ways to curb cell phone disruptions and prioritize learning,” the association said. “These policies can help schools reclaim the classroom as a focused, distraction-free zone where students can fully engage in their education.”
