Away For The Day | Latest News - 99% of Oregon school districts have implemented a cellphone ban

Last July, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek issued an executive order requiring all Oregon school districts to adopt policies banning cellphone use. Kotek gave school districts a Jan. 1, 2026, deadline.

Johnna Timms, the Director of Education Initiatives in Kotek’s office, updated Oregon’s Senate education committee Tuesday on how school districts were doing in implementing cellphone restrictions.

“Overwhelmingly, the feedback we are receiving from the field, students, and families has been positive,” Timms said.

ODE officials said that as Tuesday, Feb. 3, 99% — or all but two — Oregon school districts had enacted cellphone policies consistent with the governor’s order.

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Nearly Every U.S. Public School Has A Phone Policy. So Why Are Teens Still Scrolling For Over An Hour After The Bell Rings?

January 5, 2026

New state law will require every public elementary and middle school in the state to lock up students’ phones and other personal devices starting next fall

November 14, 2025

Joey Estes, 11th grade: “Even myself. Me and my buds used to play video games on our phones but now we actually talk more.”

November 7, 2025

Indiana has a relatively new law that bans cellphones in instructional settings, and schools are already seeing an impact

October 26, 2025

According to the researchers, student scores in the school district notably increased by "about 2-3 percentiles" in the second year of ban compared to year before the ban

October 9, 2025

According to the researchers, student scores in the school district notably increased by "about 2-3 percentiles" in the second year of ban compared to year before the ban

October 21, 2025

Alabama schools are experiencing a significant change this year as the Focus Act, a new law banning cellphones in classrooms, takes effect, aiming to improve focus and reduce distractions in schools across the state.

October 17, 2025

Middletown schools actually implemented a cellphone-free environment in 2022 and reaffirmed it last year, saying the policy had "significantly enhanced classroom learning experiences across our district.

August 11, 2025

As the first day of school approaches, Jefferson County Public Schools is gearing up for a complete cellphone ban districtwide.

July 25, 2025

A big change is coming to New York City public schools beginning this September, aimed at eliminating distractions in the classroom.

July 24, 2025

Oelke said that she had previously worked at a school with a zero-tolerance cell phone policy. “It was absolutely one of the best teaching years that I have had in over a decade,” Oelke said.

July 22, 2025

Officials with the Phoenix Elementary School District said they follow "away for the day" guidelines, where students have to turn their phones off once they get to campus.

April 14, 2025

Anchor Bay schools are going cellphone-free this fall. The district is planning to roll out a new “Away-for-the-Day” device policy at the start of the 2025-26 school year.

April 28, 2025

Take the "Away For The Day" pledge and show that you support school policies that require students to put their cell phones away in lockers, backpacks, or other places all day.

Take The Pledge Here

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According to the researchers, student scores in the school district notably increased by "about 2-3 percentiles" in the second year of ban compared to year before the ban

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Alabama schools are experiencing a significant change this year as the Focus Act, a new law banning cellphones in classrooms, takes effect, aiming to improve focus and reduce distractions in schools across the state.

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