Governor DeWine Signs Bill Requiring Ohio Schools to Create Cell Phone Policies

Local school districts will create the policies that work best in their environments and for their students.

COLUMBUS – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 250 on Wednesday.

The new law will require every school district in Ohio to establish an official policy governing cell phone usage during school hours and aims to minimize students use of cell phones in K-12 schools.

“Our school children currently face countless distractions every day from the devices in their pockets,” said Governor DeWine. “By limiting these distractions, we will reestablish the opportunity for students across Ohio to immerse themselves in their classwork, learn from their teachers, and create lifelong memories with their closest friends.”

Gov. DeWine added that local school districts will create the policies that work best in their environments and for their students.

As a result of the new law, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will soon publish a model policy regarding cell phones that schools across the state can utilize as they create their cell phone policies.

Schools will be required to adopt their cell phone policies no later than July 2025, ahead of the 2025-2026 school year.