Cell phone bans will be strengthened at Virginia’s K-12 schools after a bill from a Fairfax County state senator was signed into law.
The bill tightening restrictions from state Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D-36) was signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) last week and will take effect on July 1.
It will require schools to prohibit student cell phone use from the bell-to-bell every school day, including breaks between classes and the lunch period. However, the law forbids school divisions from suspending or expelling a student for a cell phone violation.
School divisions were required to develop bell-to-bell restrictions on student cell phone use after former Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) issued an executive order in July 2024. School boards had to adopt cell phone policies to enforce by the start of 2025.
The General Assembly codified restrictions through bills led by Pekarsky and Del. Sam Rasoul during its 2025 session. But while the 2025 bills called for schools to develop policies restricting bell-to-bell cell phone use, Pekarsky’s new law seeks a complete ban on student cell phone and smart device use.
“Some school districts interpreted last year’s law as allowing leniency during breaks or lunch, so we just updated the code to ensure the prohibition of cell phone usage during the school day is very clear,” Pekarsky told FFXnow. “It does not prohibit possession of a cell phone.”
Prior to her election to the General Assembly in 2023, when she successfully challenged longtime senator George Barker, Pekarsky represented Sully District on the Fairfax County School Board. Since then, she has clashed a bit with the current board over its interpretation of the 2025 law restricting cell phone usage.
Fairfax County Public Schools prohibited cell phone use this school year with an exception for lunch periods for high school students. Elementary and middle school students are required to keep phones away for the entire school day.
FCPS had started testing cell phone restrictions during the 2024-2025 school year with a pilot program that required students at participating schools to put their devices in a secured locker or pouch during classes, but frustrations with reported inconsistencies in enforcement of the school system’s policy have persisted.
A FCPS spokesperson told FFXnow the school division is reviewing if any changes are needed.
“FCPS is reviewing the new legislation signed by the Governor this week for potential impacts on our current cell phone policy,” the spokesperson said. “We regularly review our Student Rights & Responsibilities to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.”
The new law continues to provide exemptions for students with Individualized Education Programs, limited English proficiency plans and those with health concerns who use mobile devices for assistive support or health monitoring.
