Education - Phone-Free Schools Pilot Program - Establishment

SB 29 establishes a two-year pilot program in Carroll County and Montgomery County public schools to test phone-free classrooms. It requires one middle school and one high school in each county to implement a policy banning student cell phone use during instructional time (excluding lunch), with exceptions for students with IEPs/504 plans, health needs, or educational purposes directed by staff. The bill mandates collecting data on academic achievement, classroom engagement, social interactions, and behavior to evaluate the policy’s impact. Schools must submit reports by September 2026 to the state education department and legislature. The program applies only to these two specific school systems during the 2025-2026 school year.