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Denver students won’t be allowed to use cellphones, smartwatches, or other personal devices during the school day when they return to class this fall.
The Denver school board unanimously passed a new bell-to-bell ban Monday. A 2025 state law requires each Colorado school district to adopt a policy on student cellphone use by July 1, but doesn’t require a ban. However, many districts nationwide have decided to limit cellphone use in an attempt to minimize distractions in class and improve students’ mental health.
The Denver policy says:
- Cellphones, smartwatches, wireless earbuds and earphones, personally owned tablets and laptops, and any other devices not issued by the district must be out of sight and turned off during the school day while students are in school buildings.
- Exceptions should be made for students who need devices for physical or mental health reasons or as part of a special education plan or disability accommodation. Exceptions should also be made for multilingual students who need devices for language access.
- The district isn’t responsible for the loss, theft, or destruction of devices at school.
The policy is officially known as Executive Limitation 23. Executive limitations are rules for the superintendent. This policy says the superintendent should ensure the implementation of the policy is “consistent, transparent, simple, accountable, and equitably enforced.”
It also says the superintendent should ensure the ban doesn’t prevent or impede the delivery of emergency notifications. While a majority of parents who took a district survey were supportive of a ban, some were concerned about not being able to reach their child in an emergency.
The policy also requires the superintendent to conduct an annual review of the policy’s effectiveness and outcomes. Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said on Monday that the first review would likely be released in October 2027.
A 17-member committee of students, parents, and educators commissioned by the school board had recommended a bell-to-bell cellphone ban. In the district survey, support for the ban was strongest among school staff and weakest among students.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.
