What changes for Sacramento students under new cellphone rules?
California school districts are now legally required to limit or prohibit student cellphone use under a new law that went into effect last week.
Assembly Bill 3216, the Phone-Free School Act, took effect July 1, nearly two years after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law and amid his broader push to address K-12 students’ use of smartphones and social media.
“We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues – but we have the power to intervene,” Newsom said in a statement in September 2024.
“This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school.”
While it is up to each school district to shape its own restrictions, the law still allows students to use their phones in certain situations, including emergencies, perceived threats, medical needs or when required by an individualized education program.
And since AB 3216 does not require a full ban on cellphone use in schools, several Sacramento-area districts are using policies that were already in place or recently revised.
The Elk Grove Unified School District did not respond to The Sacramento Bee’s requests for comment.
Sacramento City Unified School District
The district says that the devices must remain turned off until the end of the school day, including during noninstructional time and extracurricular activities, unless a student receives permission from school administration.
According to the district’s Parent/Student Handbook, which was adopted in 2007 and last revised in 2022, unauthorized device use during the school day can result in consequences set by each campus, including confiscation of the device. If the school declares an emergency, students may be provided with prepared text messages to keep their parents or guardians informed.
Brian Heap, a district spokesperson, said the district faces challenges enforcing the policy consistently across all campuses, particularly outside the classroom during lunch, passing periods and recess. Heap pointed to the policy’s language requiring students to keep their devices off during the school day, including outside class, unless an administrator gives permission.
“Some sites enforce that provision more strictly than others,” Heap said.
“We intend to review the effectiveness and implementation of our current policy to determine whether changes are needed, including more uniform enforcement districtwide,” he added.
Twin Rivers Unified School District
Twin Rivers Unified School District adopted its Mobile Communication Devices policy in 2020 and revised it in June.
“The Board of Trustees recognizes that student use of smartphones and other mobile communication devices on campus may be beneficial to student learning and well-being, and could be harmful and disruptive of the instructional program in some circumstances,” the policy reads.
The policy says students must keep their devices off during class unless there is an emergency, a safety concern, permission from staff, a medical need or an individualized education program that allows it. It notes students may use smartphones during noninstructional time, “in accordance with law and any applicable school rules.”
Folsom Cordova Unified School District
Folsom Cordova Unified School District says its policy — adopted in 2020 and revised in March — recognizes the different needs of students at different grade levels when it comes to mobile communication devices, including cellphones, smartphones, smart watches and earbuds.
Students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade are not allowed to use devices during the school day. High school students may use them during passing periods and lunch but must keep them “off and away” during class.
“This age-appropriate approach supports student learning, minimizes classroom distractions, and recognizes the increasing independence and responsibility expected of older students,” said Gammenia Vrioni, a spokesperson for the district.
The policy allows students to use their phones in an emergency or in response to a perceived threat. Students who violate the rules may face discipline or have their devices temporarily taken away, and repeated violations could limit them from bringing phones to school.
