Student Cell Phone Restrictions

Caswell County public school students will return to the classroom on Thursday, January 22, but students in grades K-8 will be expected to keep their cell phones powered off and out of sight during the school day.

In a 6-1 vote on December 15, 2025, with Member Vennie Beggarly voting 'no', the Caswell County Board of Education approved revisions to its Policy Code: 4318 Use of Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices.

Revisions to the policy were necessary to ensure compliance with a new state law (Session Law 2025-38 NC House Bill 959) that, with few exceptions, fully prohibits students from "using, displaying, or having a wireless communication device turned on during instructional time." The responsibility for the development, implementation, and enforcement of local policy and practice to ensure compliance with that law falls to local school boards.

Students at Bartlett Yancey High School will still be allowed to use their cellphones and other electronic devices (such as tablets, smartwatches, wireless earphones, pagers, etc.) during non-instructional times of the school day, such as at lunch or in between classes.

Students at Dillard Middle School or one of the four elementary schools will be expected to keep their cell phones and other electronic devices powered off, out of sight, and not in use for the full duration of the school day, 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Those students will be allowed to use their devices on school buses and activity buses, provided the device is muted or earbuds are used and the device does not disrupt the driver or other passengers.

Other authorized uses allowable by law may occur:

• As required by a student's IEP, 504 Plan, or documented medical condition
• When authorized by a teacher or administrator for emergencies
• When approved by administration for a reasonable personal need

Parents across the state and the district have raised concerns about the restrictions, voicing their discomfort about not being able to communicate directly with their children throughout the school day, often citing a specific need in emergency situation such as a school shooting.

For years, policy makers have struggled to strike a balance between those concerns and minimizing the distraction and disruption created during the school day by device usage.

The new state law makes it clear - students are not allowed to use, display, or turn on their cell phones or other wireless communication devices during instructional time and local school boards and educators must enforce that expectation.

Students needing to contact their parents during the school day should ask a teacher, administrator, or other faculty/staff member at the school for assistance in doing so. Parents who need to contact their child in the event of a family emergency can still call or visit the front office of their child's school.