High school students actively engaged in class in a computer lab

Prince William County School Board Approves Bell-to-Bell Cell Phone Policy Starting August 2025

On December 4, the Prince William County School Board voted to adopt Option 3 of the proposed cell phone-free education policy. This policy, effective August 2025, aims to improve student focus, engagement, and academic success by limiting cell phone usage during school hours.

The new policy builds on a successful pilot program implemented in 33 PWCS schools during the 2024-25 school year. This initiative aligns with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 33 (EO33), which promotes a cell phone-free learning environment in public schools.

Key Objectives of the Policy:

  • Boosting student engagement and classroom participation.
  • Encouraging face-to-face interactions to foster interpersonal skills.
  • Minimizing interruptions to the learning process for better academic outcomes.
  • Promoting responsible digital citizenship among students.

Policy Overview:

Beginning in August 2025:

  • Elementary Schools: Cell phones and wireless devices must be turned off and stored during school hours, including field trips, except on transportation.
  • Middle and High Schools: Cell phones and wireless devices are off and stored for the entire school day, from the tardy bell to dismissal, including field trips, but may be used before and after school hours.

Read approved policy in full.

Research indicates that even brief interactions with cell phones can disrupt focus, with students taking up to 10 minutes to reengage after being distracted.

“I truly believe cell phones are a barrier to one’s potential,” shared Dr. Babur Lateef, Chairman At-Large, when casting his vote for the bell-to-bell policy. “The research has shown that this tethering to a phone is disruptive to learning. Students’ minds should be focused on the lessons in front of them and not on the distractions in their pockets.”

PWCS and individual school sites will provide more information about the implementation of this new policy. For the remainder of the 2024-25 school year, students will follow the existing cell phone and wireless device usage guidelines.