Req. No. 9160 Page 1 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (202 4)
HOUSE BILL 3913 By: Caldwell (Chad)
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to schools; directing the State Board
of Education to establish certai n pilot program
grants to incentivize phone-free spaces; providing
application process; prescribing selection of grant
recipients; providing for use of g rant funds;
authorizing certain negotiations and contract;
mandating grant recipients adopt certain policy;
requiring grant recipients to submit certain report;
providing for contents of grantee report; directing
Board to compile information and submit report to
certain elected officials by specified deadline;
providing for codification; providing an effect ive
date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-201 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The State Board of Education shall establish a one-year
pilot program for the 2024-2025 school year to provide grants to
public middle schools , junior high schools, and high schools to
incentivize phone-free spaces for student learning.
Req. No. 9160 Page 2 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
B. 1. A public school district seeking a grant to establish a
phone-free space in a middle school , junior high school, or high
school site shall apply to the State Board of Education in the
manner and on a form prescribed by the Board.
2. After reviewing the applications submitted, the Board shall
select nine (9) grant recipients as follows:
a. three school sites, which shall be middle schools,
junior high schools, or high schools, that each have
an average daily membership (ADM) of fewer than five
hundred (500) students,
b. three school sites, which shall be middle schools ,
junior high schools, or high schools, that each have
an ADM of five hundred (500) or more students but
fewer than one thousand five hundred (1,500) students,
and
c. three school sites, which shall be middle schools,
junior high schools, or high schools, that each have
an ADM of one thousand five hundred (1,500) or more
students.
3. When selecting grant recipients pursuant to this subsection,
the Board shall attempt to select a vari ety of schools which are
broadly representative of schools in the state in terms of
geographic locations and student populations.
Req. No. 9160 Page 3 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
C. The grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used to
purchase devices or equipment in which students enrolled in a grant-
recipient school site can store their cell phones during the school
day. In conjunction with the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services, the State Board of Education may negotiate and contract
with a vendor to offer a state rate price to grant recipient school
sites.
D. School sites awarded grants pursuant to this section shall
adopt a policy regarding emergen cy use of cell phones by students
during the school day including, but not limited to, medical issues
documented by a licensed medical professi onal.
E. Upon completion of th e pilot program, grant recipient school
sites shall electronically submit a report to the State Board of
Education that includes the following information:
1. An evaluation of the pilot program by recipient school site
teachers and administrators, including their perception of whether
the program had an impact on student engagement in the classroom;
2. An evaluation of the pilot program by recipient school site
students, including their perception of whether the program had an
impact on their ability to be engaged and learn in the classroom;
3. Academic performance data, dis aggregated by grade level, for
students who are enrolled in recipient school sites over the three -
year pilot program period; and
4. Recommendations, if any, for expanded prog ram operations.
Req. No. 9160 Page 4 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
F. By December 31, 2025, the State Board of Education shall
compile the information submitted pursuant to subse ction E of this
section and electronically submit a report to the Governor, the
Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives , and the President
Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2024.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessar y for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof thi s act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
59-2-9160 EK 01/12/24