Boston Public Schools is proposing to bar students from accessing personal electronic devices throughout the school day beginning in fall 2027, extending restrictions beyond cellphones to laptops, tablets, smartwatches and smart glasses. The School Committee plans to vote in January.
The proposal would cover every grade, from preschool through high school, and require students to switch devices off and keep them secured until the day ends. Individual school leaders would decide how to store them. District-provided technology would remain available for schoolwork.
Officials presented the plan at Wednesday’s School Committee meeting as an effort to reduce distractions, strengthen student relationships and improve engagement in school. The restrictions would apply not only during instruction but also between classes, at lunch and during recess, according to the district memo reported by WHDH.
The proposal is not yet approved, and key implementation questions remain unresolved. GBH reported that the memo does not specify consequences for violating the restrictions. WHDH also reported that the committee had not outlined how enforcement would work.
Schools would choose storage methods
The district would establish a common restriction while allowing schools flexibility over storage. Options described in the coverage include lockers and locking pouches that require a special magnetic tool to open.
Superintendent Mary Skipper told the committee that many Boston schools already restrict phones, but their approaches vary, Boston.com reported. Some use pouches or shoe organizers, while others require students to leave devices out of sight in backpacks. The district wants to develop a small set of implementation options rather than prescribe a single method.
The September 2027 target is intended to allow schools time to prepare, according to Boston.com. District officials are also exploring grants to help cover implementation costs.
Accommodations would be available for students whose individualized education programs establish a need for a device. NBC Boston reported that students could continue using school-issued equipment for assignments. WHDH’s account of the memo adds that students would not be allowed to bring personal laptops or tablets to school, with district equipment supplied when needed.
Support comes with enforcement concerns
Alexandra Oliver-Dávila, who leads the Roxbury nonprofit Sociedad Latina and previously served on the School Committee, supported the proposal at Wednesday’s meeting. According to Boston.com and WHDH, she said its success would depend on consistent enforcement across classrooms and adults demonstrating appropriate device habits.
The district’s stated goals are not guaranteed outcomes. NBC Boston reported that a study involving Stanford, Duke, Michigan and Pennsylvania universities found teachers perceived fewer classroom distractions under cellphone bans, but evidence of improvements in achievement or behavior was limited.
Boston’s proposal comes as Massachusetts lawmakers continue considering statewide restrictions without having enacted a baseline policy. Gov. Maura Healey has supported statewide action. Districts elsewhere in Massachusetts have moved independently: Newton and Brockton have adopted restrictions, as have Cambridge and Fall River. Boston’s City Council endorsed a ban through a resolution last year.
What’s next: The district will continue collecting feedback before the planned January vote and develop guidance for schools, according to Boston.com. Committee approval would be required before the proposed restrictions could take effect for the 2027-28 school year.
