District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0073 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
3	3	OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER BROOKE PINTO
4	4	THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING
5	5	1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 106
6	6	WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004
7	7
8	8
9	9	January 27, 2025
10	10
11	11	Nyasha Smith, Secretary
12	12	Council of the District of Columbia
13	13	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
14	14	Washington, DC 20004
15	15
16	16	Dear Secretary Smith,
17	17
18	18	Today, I, along with Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmember s Charles Allen, Matthew
19	19	Frumin, Zachary Parker, and Anita Bonds, am introducing the “Heads Up! Distraction -Free
20	20	Learning Amendment Act of 2025.” This bill would direct local education agencies (LEAs) to
21	21	adopt and implement a policy that prohibits students from using personal wireless communication
22	22	devices during the school day. This includes cell phones, gaming devices, and smart watches.
23	23	The purpose of the Heads Up! Distraction- Free Learning Amendment Act is to reduce distractions
24	24	for students in the classroom and enhance their learning experience. Last year, only 34 percent of
25	25	District students met or exceeded expectations in English language arts and literacy and 22.8
26	26	percent met or exceeded expectations in math.
27	27	i
28	28	The non-academic use of internet-connected
29	29	devices like cellphones during the school day interrupts concentration, which is necessary for
30	30	focused learning and information retention. This type of non- academic use has been linked to
31	31	decreases in student learning. In addition, the use of social media on cell phones and other wireless
32	32	devices has been linked to detrimental impacts on mental health and the escalation of conflicts in
33	33	our schools, which also negatively affect s academic performance.
34	34	ii
35	35	We must remain focused on
36	36	increasing educational outcomes for students. Removing distracting devices at school will
37	37	help us achieve these goals .
38	38	At last month’s public meeting of the DC State Board of Education, parents, teachers, and
39	39	researchers shared testimony in support of phone-free schools in the District. Prohibiting personal
40	40	wireless devices in school will help safeguard students’ mental health and allow students to engage
41	41	in critical face- to-face play time and socialization with their peers. This interaction is critical to
42	42	healthy social development and reducing bullying and conflicts among students.
43	43	A growing number of states’ legislatures have moved or are moving to prohibit or restrict personal
44	44	cell phone use for students at school, including Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio,
45	45	South Carolina and California.
46	46	iii
47	47	In neighboring Virginia, school districts across the
48	48	Commonwealth are required to implement policies to limit cellphone use during the school day.
49	49
50	50
51	51
52	52	The Lincoln school district in Nebraska has reported fewer behavioral issues and better
53	53	engagement since implementing a ban on phone use during class time in 2022.
54	54	iv
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56	56	The bill authorizes an educator to allow a student to use a wireless communication device,
57	57	including tablet computers and laptops, for educational purposes during instructional time. It also
58	58	provides a process for a student to obtain permission from an educator or administrator to use a
59	59	wireless communication device in the event of an emergency or to manage the student’s health
60	60	care. No student will be prohibited from using a wireless communication device during
61	61	instructional time if the use of the device is included in the student’s Individualized Education
62	62	Program (IEP) or to accommodate a disability .
63	63	Under the bill, students will be provided with storage for the wireless communication devices
64	64	during the school day. It also requires notification about the policy and ensures that consequences
65	65	for a violation do not involve removing a student from the classroom.
66	66	Should you have any questions about this legislation, please contact my C ommittee and Legislative
67	67	Director, Linn Groft, at lgroft@dccouncil.gov. Thank you.
68	68
69	69	Best,
70	70
71	71
72	72	Brooke Pinto
73	73
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76	76
77	77
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86	86	i
87	87	District of Columbia Public Schools, DC Releases 2024 Statewide Assessment Results, ( August 22, 2024) ,
88	88	available here.
89	89	ii
90	90	U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, Planning Together: A Playbook for Student
91	91	Personal Device Policies, Washington, D.C. (2024), available here.
92	92	iii
93	93	Andrew Demillo, Banning cellphones in schools gains popularity in red and blue states, AP News (January 16,
94	94	2025), available here. .
95	95	iv
96	96	Caitlynn Peetz, Hall Passes Go Digital to Complement Cellphone Restrictions , Ed Week, ( January 3, 2025),
97	97	available here.
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102	102	1
103	103	2
104	104	____________________________ _____________________________ 3
105	105	Chairmen Mendelson
106	106	Councilmember Brooke Pinto 4
107	107	5
108	108	6
109	109	_____________________________ _____________________________ 7
110	110	Councilmember Anita Bonds Councilmember Charles Allen 8
111	111	9
112	112	10
113	113	11
114	114	12
115	115	_____________________________ _____________________________ 13
116	116	Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Matthew Frumin 14
117	117	15
118	118	16
119	119	A BILL 17
120	120	18
121	121	_________________________ 19
122	122	20
123	123	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 21
124	124	22
125	125	_________________________ 23
126	126	24
127	127	25
128	128	To direct local education agencies to adopt and implement a personal wireless communication 26
129	129	device policy that prohibits a student from using a personal wireless communication 27
130	130	device during the Full School Day. 28
131	131	29
132	132	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 30
133	133	act may be cited as the “Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025”. 31
134	134	Sec. 2. Definitions. 32
135	135	For the purposes of this act, the term: 33
136	136	(a ) “Wireless communication device” means any portable personal wireless device that 34
137	137	has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication between two (2) or 35
138	138	more parties, including a: 36
139	139	(1) Cellular phone; 37
140	140
141	141
142	142
143	143	(2) Tablet computer; 38
144	144	(3) Laptop computer; 39
145	145	(4) Gaming device; and 40
146	146	(5) Smart watch. 41
147	147	Sec. 3. Wireless Communication Device Policy. 42
148	148	(a) By no later than 15 days before the start of the 2025- 26 School Year, each LEA shall 43
149	149	adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that: 44
150	150	(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) through (5) of this subsection, prohibits a 45
151	151	student from possessing a personal wireless communication device during the F ull School D ay, 46
152	152	as defined in an Act To provide for compulsory school attendance, for the taking of a school 47
153	153	census in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes, approved February 4, 1925 (43 Stat. 48
154	154	806; D.C. Code § 38- 201(2B)); 49
155	155	(2) Authorizes an educator to allow a student to use a wireless communication 50
156	156	device for educational purposes during instructional time; 51
157	157	(3) Permits a student to obtain permission from an educator or administrator to 52
158	158	use a wireless communication device in the event of a health or safety incident, to manage the 53
159	159	student's health care, or other necessary circumstances; 54
160	160	(4) Provides a process for students to obtain permission from an educator or 55
161	161	administrator to access their wireless communication device in the event of a health or safety 56
162	162	incident or under other necessary circumstances ; 57
163	163	(5) Provides that no student shall be prohibited from using a wireless 58
164	164	communication device during instructional time if the use of the wireless communication device 59
165	165	is included in the student's: 60
166	166
167	167
168	168
169	169	(A) Individualized education program (IEP) or 61
170	170	(B) Plan developed under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 62
171	171	1973, 29 U.S.C. 794; 63
172	172	(6) Provides for appropriate storage of wireless communication devices during the 64
173	173	Full School D ay; 65
174	174	(7) Establishes a primary and secondary individual at each school who is 66
175	175	responsible for monitoring and enforcing the policy with students ; 67
176	176	(8) Establishes consequences if a student violates the policy, provided that an 68
177	177	LEA is prohibited from suspending, expelling, or removing a student from instructional time or 69
178	178	IEP-required services as a penalty for violation of the policy; and 70
179	179	(9) Establishes a process and timeline for the LEA to assess whether the policy is 71
180	180	working and how to refine it. 72
181	181	(b) Each LEA shall notify all enrolled students and their families about the policy and 73
182	182	publish on its website the wireless communication device policy established under subsection (a) 74
183	183	no later than 15 days before the start of each s chool year for which the policy is in effect. 75
184	184	(c) Not later than ninety days after the effective date of this act, the Office of the State 76
185	185	Superintendent for Education shall develop and share with LEAs a model policy that meets the 77
186	186	requirements prescribed in subsection (a) of this section. 78
187	187	(d) LEAs are encouraged to engage students and parents in the development of their 79
188	188	wireless communication device policy. 80
189	189	(e) Upon the establishment of a new policy, each LEA shall inform educators about the 81
190	190	policy. 82
191	191	(f) OSSE shall be responsible for monitoring LEA compliance with the requirements of 83
192	192
193	193
194	194
195	195	this act. 84
196	196	(g) OSSE shall share with educators research concerning the effect of the use of wireless 85
197	197	communication devices by students in school settings. 86
198	198	(h) LEAs are encouraged to incorporate lessons on digital citizenship into their curricula 87
199	199	Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 88
200	200	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 89
201	201	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 90
202	202	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1- 301.47a). 91
203	203	Sec. 4. Effective date. 92
204	204	This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 93
205	205	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30- day period of congressional review as 94
206	206	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 95
207	207	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1- 206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 96
208	208	Columbia Register. 97