Gov. Kay Ivey put her signature on the FOCUS Act on Wednesday. The law requires students’ phones to be turned off and stored off their person during school hours.
“Smart phones have beneficial roles when used in proper settings. However, these often-disruptive devices have no place in our classrooms during the school day except for educational purposes or during an emergency,” Ivey said. “The FOCUS Act will enable students to ‘focus’ on learning while in school rather than on their phones.”
The bill does contain exceptions for children with health issues that necessitate the use of a cell phone. For example, diabetics who monitor their blood sugar with a mobile app or students with personalized education plans.
Some schools already ban the use of devices, but the FOCUS Act will require all school systems to do so, leaving it up to the schools to decide how the devices will be stored.
The bill’s sponsors Rep. Leigh Hulsey (R) and Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R), along with students and faculty from Pike Road Schools joined Ivey at the signing.
Pike Road Junior High School has a pouch policy for cell phones and credits student success to that policy.
“The truth is this isn’t just about a law, it’s about what happens when students and teachers are given the space and focus to grow,” said Principal Christy Wright. “We’ve seen a clear shift in our school culture: more engagement, deeper connections, and a greater sense of community. But the impact hasn’t just been social, it’s also academic.”
The FOCUS Act also requires the Alabama State Department of Education to offer social media safety training for all students before entering the eighth grade.
Alabama joins a number of states across the country in banning cell phones in the classroom.
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