Teachers say Indiana’s new bell-to-bell phone ban makes enforcement easier

Indiana's Senate Enrolled Act 78, in effect since July 1, bans K-12 students from accessing personal devices from the first bell to the last, with exceptions for emergencies, medical needs, and IEP or 504 accommodations. Teachers interviewed by the Indiana Capital Chronicle say the state-backed rule succeeded where earlier school policies failed because violations now carry consequences administrators will actually enforce.

Fort Wayne Community Schools spent $420,000 in the first year on magnetic-sealed phone pouches, plus another $120,000 on replacements, to enforce its own earlier version of the ban. Other schools use lockers or fines, including a $25 repeat-offense fine at one rural school that reports zero violations so far this year.

The law's rigidity has created side effects: journalism students can no longer use phones to record interviews, and some parents are seeking device exceptions written into IEPs for reasons administrators view as questionable. Only school-issued devices will be allowed for instructional use starting in 2028.

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