Under the new policy, students must store their cell phones in lockers or designated areas during school hours, a measure aimed at fostering greater focus and reducing distractions. Exceptions are made for medical needs and approved educational uses.
The policy represents a shift toward stricter regulations, replacing the previous system that allowed limited use during non-instructional periods such as lunch and class changes.
The school board considered three options before approving the bell-to-bell ban.
1. Option 1: Bell-to-Bell Ban
This approved option would have prohibits all student cell phone use during the entire school day, including passing periods and lunch, except for approved medical or educational purposes. Phones would be stored in lockers or designated areas.
2. Option 2: Modified Policy with Limited Access
This option allowed students to use their phones during non-instructional times, such as lunch or passing periods, but required phones to be put away during instructional time unless explicitly permitted by a teacher for educational purposes.
3. Option 3: Retain Current Policy with Enhanced Enforcement
This option proposed keeping the existing policy, which permitted limited phone use, while increasing efforts to enforce rules more consistently. This included better training for teachers and clearer communication of rules to students.
The board ultimately adopted Option 1, the bell-to-bell ban, despite significant opposition from students and some parents.
Board members expressed varied viewpoints on the policy. Some underscored the importance of minimizing distractions to create a more productive learning environment, citing studies on the negative impact of cell phones on academic performance. Others raised concerns about enforcement challenges and potential unintended consequences, such as increased tension between students and staff.
Vice Chair Lisa Zargarpur, a proponent of the policy, emphasized the need to address rising digital dependency, stating, “Our goal is to ensure that schools remain centers of learning, free from unnecessary distractions.”
The meeting drew impassioned comments from students and parents, many opposing the policy. Ava Schelling, a representative from the Woodbridge Senior High Student Voice Committee, delivered a poignant speech recounting a past lockdown incident. “During a lockdown, our phones are lifelines to the outside world. This policy overlooks the critical role of communication during emergencies,” she said, drawing applause from attendees.
Other students raised concerns about the policy’s impact on their ability to manage responsibilities, including part-time jobs and extracurricular activities. “I rely on my phone to coordinate with my coach and my parents,” said Kaylee Phillips, a junior at Forest Park High School. “A total ban feels like punishing all students for the misuse of a few.”
Parent advocates echoed these sentiments, with some proposing alternative solutions such as improved enforcement of the existing policy rather than a complete ban.
In the weeks leading up to the vote, students mobilized against the proposal, launching campaigns on social media and organizing public demonstrations. Their efforts culminated in coordinated appearances at the board meeting, where they highlighted the policy’s potential safety risks and effects on student well-being.
“The policy shifts focus away from critical issues like mental health and campus safety to something less consequential,” argued Catherine Haddock, representing the Woodbridge Junior High Student Voice Committee.
The new rules will take effect in the 2025-2026 school year, allowing time for schools to prepare and inform families. Training sessions for staff on enforcement and exemptions are expected to begin next semester.
Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) is Virginia’s second-largest school division, serving approximately 91,180 students across 95 schools as of the 2022–2023 academic year. This enrollment places PWCS among the largest school districts in the U.S.
PWCS employs over 12,000 staff members, including more than 6,500 teachers, to support its educational programs.
