The proposed policy would extend Mesa County Valley School District 51's phone restrictions to high school students throughout the entire school day, with exceptions for medical, emergency, and IEP needs.
This builds on the district’s 2024 'More Social, Less Media' policy, which inspired statewide legislation requiring all Colorado districts to address student device use by July 2026.
D51 is also expanding AI integration in classrooms, planning a 2026-2027 AI GUIDE Team to improve instructional use, while other districts like Denver Public Schools consider similar bell-to-bell bans.
Do phone bans create focused students or just delay a massive social media binge until after the final bell?
With teachers already overworked, who bears the daily burden of policing phone bans and managing student pushback?
If phones jam emergency networks, what is the school's high-tech plan to guarantee parents get critical, real-time alerts?
Could school phone bans unintentionally widen the digital divide for students who rely on them for internet access?
How will students manage essential tasks like college applications that require two-factor authentication on their phones?
Does removing phones also remove a student's crucial ability to record evidence of bullying or staff misconduct?