Baltimore City schools already tightening phone rules ahead of state law

Baltimore City Public Schools has already moved students toward a phone-free day, and Maryland’s new law will make that approach the statewide baseline by the 2027-28 school year. Gov. Wes Moore signed the Maryland Phone Free Schools Act on May 27, 2026, and the measure, now Chapter 596, took effect July 1, 2026.

In Baltimore City, the shift is not starting from scratch. School officials told lawmakers the district revised Policy JICJ in April 2025 after piloting device limits in 25 schools. Under that policy, personal devices must be turned off, put away and secured during the school day. The local rules allow exceptions for IEP and Section 504 needs, documented health reasons and teacher-approved instructional use.

The state law broadens that framework. It covers not only cellphones, but also laptops, wireless headphones, smart watches, tablets and other electronic communication devices, and it also restricts social media access during school hours. The law preserves exceptions for disability accommodations, documented health needs, language translation tools, caregiving responsibilities and school emergencies. It also bars districts from suspending or expelling students solely for violating the device policy, leaving day-to-day enforcement to local school systems and individual schools.

For Baltimore families, that means the real work will happen in classrooms, hallways and front offices. Teachers will need to decide when a device is part of instruction and when it is a distraction. Principals will have to set clear enforcement rules. Families will also have to adjust to a school day in which routine device use is off limits, except when a student has a documented need or a teacher has approved the device for learning.

The politics around the issue have already been largely settled in Annapolis. In March 2026, the House passed HB 525 by 135-1 and the Senate approved SB 928 unanimously. The House sponsor was Del. Adrian Boafo, and the Senate sponsor was Sen. Joanne C. Benson, whose name now appears in the law’s title. The state board of education also heard a task force report in April 2025, from a group that included state officials, superintendents, principals, teachers, parents and students.

The debate still exposed a sharp split over disability access. Ronza Othman of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland warned the bills could harm students with disabilities and run afoul of disability rights law. Supporters, including more than 900 Maryland residents who signed a community letter, pushed for stronger limits. Baltimore City schools CEO Sonja Santelises has said she is “a huge proponent” of banning cellphone use during the school day, especially in grades K-8, putting the city among the districts already leaning into tighter control before the state deadline arrives.