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Education and Culture Committee hears MCPS plan to bar personal devices during instructional day
Summary
MCPS officials told the committee they will extend an "away bell-to-bell" policy to high schools, citing pilot results in middle schools and parent, teacher and student feedback; implementation guidance and restorative responses will accompany the change.
MCPS officials on July 27 told the Education and Culture Committee they plan to expand a pilot that kept personal mobile devices out of sight for the school day to include high schools, applying an "away bell-to-bell" approach that covers lunch and transitions.
Doctor Moran said the decision flowed from spring survey responses from parents, staff and students and from middle-school pilots. "When I have my cell phone, in my pocket, I have my mom in my pocket, I have my brothers in my pocket, I have my friends in my pocket," Doctor Moran said, describing student attachment to devices and the need for a transitional, educational approach. MCPS said students may keep devices with them but must keep them away and not visible during instructional time.
Committee members pressed MCPS on how the district used $200,000 allocated in the FY26 budget for implementation materials. Doctor Moran said the funds bought two main strategies: classroom-numbered "cubbies" and locking pouches. "The pouches are ... you place them inside, and they actually lock," he said, adding schools selected the approach that worked for them. Officials said middle schools generally accepted the change with limited pushback and that some principals reported improved focus in certain classes.
MCPS emphasized the shift will be accompanied by guidance, family communications and a restorative code-of-conduct implementation rather than an immediately punitive regime. Officials also noted safety and anxiety concerns around removing access to devices and said the district would use conferencing with students and families to address those issues.
