Oklahoma bill would ban student cell use during school day

OKLAHOMA CITY — A Claremore senator has filed legislation instructing all public school districts to adopt policies preventing student cell phone use from “bell to bell.”

Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, said she filed Senate Bill 139 for the 2025 legislative session after she co-hosted a two-day interim study to explore the educational challenges that arise when students have their cell phones in the classroom. During the study, more than a dozen educators and mental health professionals discussed how student phone use leads to poor academic outcomes and overall worse mental health.

Seifried said that given the drop in test scores nationwide over the last decade and the rise in rates of anxiety and depression in children, numerous researchers recommended schools limit phone use throughout the entire school day to minimize the negative effects and learning distractions.

“With national research increasingly showing that classroom phone use harms students’ grades and their overall well-being, more states are taking action to limit devices in schools,” Seifried said. “It’s time for Oklahoma to lead the way in creating distraction-free schools where students can devote their full attention to their education.”

Senate Bill 139 empowers school districts to craft their own policies for restricting cell phones for the entire school day. These policies must accommodate students who use their phones to monitor medical conditions and allow phone use in emergencies. Districts also must detail disciplinary steps for students who violate phone-free policies.

Seifried’s bill also directs the Oklahoma State Department of Education to establish a grant program to help middle and high schools implement phone-free policies.