CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -Starting Jan. 1, 2026, a new Ohio law went into effect banning students from using cell phones during the instructional day.
Most school districts started the 2025-2026 school year with some sort of restriction on cell phones, but the law banning them took effect January 1.
The law does have some exceptions for students with learning disabilities or medical conditions.
The policy adopted by each school district was required to include discipline actions for violations.
Cleveland Metropolitan Schools had a cell phone ban in its negotiations with the teachers’ union in 2024.
Representatives with the union say the feedback has been positive, with students interacting more with each other and even fewer discipline problems from recording each other.
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