Rep. Chad Caldwell’s tagline last session when passing a one-year statewide cellphone ban in schools was “try it before you buy it.”
Now, Caldwell, R-Enid, and the law’s Senate author, Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, are ready to buy. Both have filed bills that would permanently ban student cellphone use during the school day.
“I think the reason we got to that is because it’s been clear from our educators and from our parents and communities that they want the state to buy it,” Caldwell said. “I think it’s been well received, and it just, to me, makes sense to make that change permanent.”
Caldwell and Seifried said they’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response to the policy, which bars students in public schools from using their cellphones from the morning bell until dismissal.
Under the current law, each school district will have the choice to continue the ban or make a change after the 2025-26 academic year.
Neither lawmaker said they worry many districts would reverse the policy once it becomes optional. Rather, Seifried attributed part of the success to the fact that “the state was the bad guy,” rather than local schools having to take criticism for requiring the ban.
“There is a part of me that (thinks), ‘Maybe having the law gives everyone the sort of cover that they need,’” she said. “There were a couple of conversations that I had that said it was so successful because everyone was all in it together. It was a collective decision. There was no option. It was state law.”
Educators and school leaders have told Oklahoma Voice the policy has had a positive impact by removing a major distraction and that families have been willing to comply because of the equal implementation statewide.
House Bill 3715 from Caldwell and Seifried’s Senate Bill 1719 would strike statutory language allowing local school boards the opportunity to change their district’s cellphone policy after the current academic year. Cellphones and non-school-issued personal electronic devices would be prohibited during the instructional day for “each school year thereafter.”
Both bills will be up for consideration once the 2026 legislative session begins Feb. 2.
