Florida school cell phone policy
Wireless communications device restrictions in public schools · HB 379 (2023), extended by HB 1105 (2025) · Effective 2023 for instructional time; extended 2025-26
Florida was the first state in the country to legislate on classroom phone use. HB 379 (2023) banned use during instructional time; 2025 legislation extended the prohibition to the full school day for elementary and middle schools, with high school pilots in selected districts.
What the law says
Scope
Bell-to-bell for elementary and middle school. Instructional-time ban for high school, with several counties running full-day high school pilots.
Enrollment: ~2.9 million students
Exceptions
- Teacher-authorised use for an educational purpose
- IEP and Section 504 accommodations
- Documented medical need
- Emergencies
Method is left to the district
Florida law leaves enforcement to districts. Because the elementary and middle-school ban now covers the whole day, districts have moved from 'phones away in class' honour rules to physical storage — most often pouches or classroom caddies.
What compliance looks like on the ground
Students seal their own phone at the door and keep it on them all day. At dismissal they touch the pouch to a fixed magnetic key station and walk out — no staff handling devices, no locker room of phones, and nothing for the district to be liable for.
United States overviewHow it happened
May 2023
HB 379 signed — first statewide classroom phone ban in the US.
2023-24
Districts implement instructional-time bans.
2025
HB 1105 extends the ban to the full day in elementary and middle schools.
Florida districts we track
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Miami · Miami-Dade County
330,000
students
Full-day ban in elementary and middle, instructional-time ban in high school
District detailBroward County Public Schools
Fort Lauderdale · Broward County
250,000
students
Full-day ban in elementary and middle schools
District detailHillsborough County Public Schools
Tampa · Hillsborough County
224,000
students
Full-day ban in elementary and middle schools
District detailHow PhoneLock helps Florida districts comply
Bought outright
Schools and districts buy the pouches and keep them. No per-event rental, no return logistics, same stock reused every school year.
MOQ 100 pcs
Start with a single campus or pilot grade level, then scale district-wide once the policy is bedded in.
2 weeks / 3-4 weeks
Unbranded pouches ship in about 2 weeks. Branded large-quantity orders take 3-4 weeks — plan around your board approval date.
GS 12000 & GS 14000 keys
Magnetic release keys double as the unlock station. Students tap out in seconds at dismissal, so there is no end-of-day queue.
Florida school phone ban — FAQs
Yes. Florida's HB 379 (2023) banned wireless communications device use during instructional time, and 2025 legislation extended the ban to the entire school day in elementary and middle schools, with high school pilots in selected districts.
Pouches for Florida schools
Tell us your campus headcount and we'll send pricing, lead times and a rollout plan.