Starting in July 2025, students will not be allowed to use their phones during school. The Wake County School Board voted to approve the new phone policy, and it will be the first time there is a rule like this for the whole district.

This policy says that all students will have to silence their phones and keep them put away during school hours. For elementary and middle school students, phones will have to stay out of sight all day. That means no using phones between classes or even at lunch.

High school students will have a little more freedom. Some high schools might allow phones during lunch or when changing classes, but it will vary from school to school. Teachers can still let students use their phones for activities in class or for other educational purposes. Students may also be allowed to use their phone for medical reasons, translation, or any other exceptions in their learning plan.

“Board members clarified on Tuesday students would first receive a verbal warning before their cell phone would be confiscated.” According to CBS17, “If a student shows a pattern of violating the policy, a parent may be contacted to get the student’s phone back. The policy states this would only happen if the student or parent has received a written warning.”

The goal of the phone “ban” is to help students stay focused and cut down on distractions in the classroom and during the school day. Wake County also wants to make sure the rules are the same across the board for all schools, since students sometimes switch schools mid-year.

According to an ABC11 article, “Before Tuesday’s vote, the district surveyed teachers about the policy. More than 2,000 teachers responded and just under 90% said they agree or strongly agree that phones should be turned off during instructional time. And about 61% support device confiscation.”

There’s also a chance that the policy could change again. North Carolina lawmakers are working on a statewide phone rule, and if that passes, Wake County will have to adjust its policy to match the new state law.

The new phone policy will begin with the ‘25-’26 school year, starting in July for year-round schools.