South Carolina School Year Starts with Statewide Student Cellphone Ban
COLUMBIA, S.C. — As the 2025–2026 academic year kicks off across South Carolina, students are returning to class with one major change in place: a full statewide ban on student cellphone use during the school day.
This marks the first full school year under the new cellphone policy, which was implemented statewide in January. The rule prohibits students from accessing devices such as phones, smartwatches, tablets, and gaming devices throughout the school day, unless explicitly permitted by their district superintendent.
How the Ban Is Being Enforced
While the overarching policy is set at the state level, individual school districts are given the flexibility to determine:
- Where devices must be stored (e.g., lockers or classroom bins)
- Whether devices are completely banned from campus
- Penalties for rule violations
Patrick Kelly, a high school teacher in Richland County and a member of the Palmetto State Teachers Association, explained that while some challenges remain, the implementation has been “successful and well received” by both educators and students.
“There’s always going to be implementation problems, unexpected challenges to overcome, but for the most part, it has been both successful and well received,” Kelly said.
Teachers Report Improved Focus and Behavior
A recent survey of over 9,000 teachers statewide found that a majority observed better student focus since the policy was put into place — especially in classrooms where the rules were consistently applied.
South Carolina Department of Education Chief Research Officer Vann Holden shared that consistent enforcement appears to be the key:
“On every single behavior that we saw, when teachers believe and perceive that policy is being enforced, we’re seeing a decrease in their perception that other behaviors are a student conduct issue in their school,” Holden said.
Teachers noted that in addition to increased attention during lessons, there has also been a decline in student fights, bullying, and classroom disruptions, particularly where the policy was clearly communicated and firmly upheld.
Leadership and the Road Ahead
State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver championed the initiative last year, arguing that digital distractions were impairing both student learning and teacher effectiveness.
“We know that these digital distractions and devices are creating mental health challenges, they are distracting students from learning, and they are really making it much harder for our teachers to do what they’re there to do — which is teach,” Weaver said at the time.
Looking forward, the Department of Education plans to collaborate with researchers to evaluate whether the policy is contributing to better academic performance and broader improvements in student behavior.
Do you support South Carolina’s statewide cellphone ban in schools? How is your local district enforcing the policy? Share your thoughts with us at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
