Ban on phones in Iowa classrooms nears legislative finish line

DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposal to require Iowa’s K-12 schools to restrict students from having their cellphones during classroom instruction time soon could be headed to her desk after the Iowa Senate on Monday became the second legislative chamber to pass the bill.

But because the Senate adjusted the bill’s implementation timeline, it must again be approved by the House, which last week passed it with wide, bipartisan support. Once the House signs off on the change, the bill will head to Reynolds for her signature.

Reynolds introduced the proposal in January during her annual Condition of the State address to the Iowa Legislature.

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon. The governor’s office, teacher groups and Iowa school administrators have said such policies help improve students’ concentration, decrease cyberbullying and address some of the concerns about students’ mental health.

The Senate gave its unanimous approval of the bill, House File 782, with a 49-0 vote Monday. The House last week passed it, 88-9.

What Senators said during debate

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames and retired college professor, called the legislation only a “minimalist approach.” He noted the bill calls for a school policy that “restricts” phones and other mobile devices in the classroom, but does not prohibit them. He noted many districts already have policies that restrict mobile devices in classrooms.

“I have pretty good reason to believe that cellphones and other electronic devices can be a distraction in the classroom, including some classrooms that I’ve been in charge of,” Quirmbach said.

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“This bill is going to make some people feel good, I suppose, but it really won’t do very much as far as changing the facts on the ground,” he said. “School districts, the large majority of them, are already addressing this issue. Most districts have already adopted policies far more limiting than this bill. But if this bill encourages a few more to get on with it and adopt at least some minimalist policy, I suppose that’s a good thing.

“I’m going to vote yes,” he said, “but I’m not all that excited.”

Sen. Lynn Evans, a Republican from Aurelia and a former teacher, principal and superintendent, said that flexibility is what makes the bill strong.

“There are some (school districts) that, as we speak, are working on policies that will address and comply with this bill. The bill is intended to give a good nudge to those who maybe haven’t moved in that direction on their own,” Evans said.

“I believe that this is actually good legislation because we’re encouraging school boards to take up a matter that we all know could be a problem, but it doesn’t take away local control,” Evans said. “It allows them to develop this policy in a manner that best fits their school district and addresses needs in their community.”

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Many districts already have phone policies

Several school districts across Iowa already have cellphone policies and restrictions in place, including the Ottumwa, Ankeny and Ames school districts. In December, the Iowa City school board approved a cellphone policy that requires phones, earbuds and headphones to be “detached from the student’s body” during instructional time.

The Cedar Rapids Community School District also is researching cellphones in schools and potential policies, Superintendent Tawana Grover told The Gazette in February.

What the bill does

Under the legislation, all public school districts in Iowa would be required to adopt by July 1 minimum standards for restrictions on personal electronic devices. The bill requires that such policies create a way for a parent or guardian to contact their child if there’s an emergency during school hours and include protocols to “securely store a student’s personal electronic device when such device is in possession of the school district.”

Students with a documented disability or special education needs, as outlined in their Individualized Education Program, would be allowed to use personal electronic devices when necessary to manage their disability effectively or access specialized instruction or supports.

Before approving it, the House last week amended the legislation by eliminating required training for sixth- through eighth-grade students on the “effects of social media.”

The Senate also amended the bill Monday by reinserting a House-removed requirement that the Iowa Department of Education create a model policy to share with school districts by May 1. Evans said the provision is important so districts who need it can get assistance crafting a policy before the requirement goes into effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Groups representing Iowa’s public teachers union and school boards support the proposal. No group is registered in opposition, according to state lobbying records.

Tom Barton of The Gazette Des Moines Bureau contributed.

Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com

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