Sen. Danny Burgess introduced legislation on Wednesday to establish a pilot program aimed at evaluating the impact of phone-free school campuses on student behavior and academic performance.

The bill, Senate Bill 1296, would create a two-year study involving six school districts—two small, two medium and two large—that currently enforce or plan to implement full-day cellphone bans by the 2025-2026 school year. The Florida Department of Education would oversee the program, selecting participating districts and compiling a report on its effectiveness.

The report, due by Dec. 1, 2026, to the Senate president and House speaker, will assess the effects of the ban on student achievement and school climate. It will also include a model policy that other districts may adopt, exceptions for health emergencies, disasters, students with disabilities and English language learners, and guidelines for cellphone use on school buses and during extracurricular activities outside regular school hours. It will also detail disciplinary provisions addressing policy violations related to bullying, cheating and inappropriate recordings, particularly of students during medical emergencies.

Burgess, who previously championed Florida’s 2023 law banning cellphones during instructional time, argues that expanding the restriction to the entire school day will enhance student focus and engagement.

“Florida became a model for the rest of the nation when we first passed legislation in 2023 to remove cell phones from classrooms,” said Burgess. “I was proud to help spearhead that policy change, which has helped to remove distractions, improve focus during class time and increase student interaction. Now, I believe there is more we can do to further promote ideal learning environments to increase student achievement. By establishing phone-free school campuses, we can encourage students to connect more personally with each other and their teachers and better support their academic efforts.”

Supporters, including Nathan Hoffman, senior legislative director for the Foundation for Florida’s Future, say research supports such measures.

“Schools should be places where students and teachers are free to focus on learning,” said Nathan Hoffman, senior legislative director for the Foundation for Florida’s Future. “Data continue to show that eliminating the cell phone distraction, not only in the classroom as Florida has in place now, but throughout the entire school day produces better outcomes – both from a school climate perspective as well as academic. This is important legislation that will keep the Sunshine State moving forward.”

If enacted, the pilot program could serve as a model for other states considering similar policies.