Denver Public Schools Adopts Bell-to-Bell Cellphone Ban as 179 Colorado Districts Face July 1 Deadline
Updated
Updated · Chalkbeat · Jun 10
Denver Public Schools Adopts Bell-to-Bell Cellphone Ban as 179 Colorado Districts Face July 1 Deadline
3 articles · Updated · Chalkbeat · Jun 10
Summary
Denver Public Schools this week approved a bell-to-bell cellphone ban, joining a broader statewide shift as every one of Colorado’s 179 districts must adopt a phone-use policy by July 1.
District leaders told the state board the push is driven by classroom disruption, with teachers describing nonstop notifications and superintendents saying parents and coaches often text students during lessons.
Mesa County Valley 51, which already limited phones in 2024, will tighten to a full-day ban this fall, while Colorado Springs District 11 says its 23,000 students are adjusting even if many initially resist.
Superintendents said enforcement remains the hardest part—students use dummy phones, hidden earbuds and even $3 magnets to bypass locking pouches—making consistent penalties crucial.
Officials said resistance from families has been lighter than feared, and schools report a cultural shift over time, with cafeterias and hallways growing louder as students talk instead of scroll.