Cell phone use may be banned in S.C. schools

South Carolina public schools may soon have a statewide phone policy in place, potentially starting by January 2025. This comes after the inclusion of Proviso 1.103 in the FY 2024-2025 state budget, which mandates that schools adopt a policy restricting student use of personal electronic devices during school hours to receive state funding.

The proviso reads:

“To receive state funds allocated for State Aid to Classrooms, a school district shall implement a policy adopted by the State Board of Education that prohibits access to personal electronic communication devices by students during the school day. For purposes of this provision, a personal electronic communication device is considered to be a device not authorized for classroom use by a student, utilized to access the Internet, wi-fi, or cellular telephone signals.

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is currently working on a model policy, set to be reviewed by the State Board of Education (SBE) on August 13. If approved, local school boards are expected to implement the policy at their next meetings, scheduled for September or October 2024. The aim is to have the policy fully enacted in all schools by January 2025.

A recent survey conducted by State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver revealed strong support among teachers for the policy. The survey found that 83% of high school teachers report daily distractions from cellphones, 92% favor restricting cellphone use, and 55% support a complete ban during school hours.