Will Vermont ban cell phones?

What's happening with a bill proposed to do it

Megan Stewart   Burlington Free Press

Gov. Kim Reynolds signs a bill banning cell phones in schools at the Iowa State Capitol on April 30, 2025, in Des Moines.   Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Original Burlington Free Press page here.

Vermont lawmakers are considering whether to ban the use of cell phone and personal electronic devices, like smart watches, in schools in light of growing concerns that such devices hinder learning and negatively impact behavior.

The proposed house bill, called H.54 and currently being marked up in committee, would also heavily restrict social media usage in schools, including prohibiting teachers from communicating with students via social media.

“It is the intent of the General Assembly for all students in Vermont to access the benefits of a phone- and social media-free school environment, which promotes focus, improved mental health, and increased social cohesion,” the bill reads.

Vermont’s proposed legislation would require each Vermont public or independent school to create and implement its own policy that, at minimum, places firm restrictions on cell phone and personal electronic usage from the time students arrive at school until dismissal. The bill also applies to career and technical education centers and “prequalified private prekindergarten programs.”

As H.54 currently stands, schools could opt for a complete ban on personal devices or provide a designated area on campus or a secure place to store them, such as in a device locker or lockable pouch.

The bill does allow for a few exceptions. Students may keep possession of personal electronic devices if a doctor or registered nurse deems it medically necessary or if an individual education program or 504 plan requires it.

If passed in both chambers and signed into law, the bill’s cell phone and social media communication ban would begin on Dec. 1 of this year. Vermont would join at least eight other states in banning or restricting cell phones in schools. Some Vermont schools have already adopted policies limiting student phone use.

The case for banning phones from schools

H.54 labels cell phones and social media as major contributors to Vermont’s expensive youth mental health crisis, which the bill says has cost taxpayers nearly $53 million in new school mental health positions alone.

As evidence, the proposed legislation references former U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s message to Congress last June where he advised lawmakers to place warning labels on social media websites and requested schools “ensure that classroom learning and social time are phone-free experiences.” Similarly, 83% of Vermont National Education Association’s members support phone prohibitions in schools, the NEA reported in Aug. 2024.

The bill also points to data showing hazing, harassment and bullying incidents decreased at a Lamoille County high school after the implementation of a phone-free school day policy.  

Not everyone is sold on a complete cell phone ban, however. On April 30, several Vermont students told the house education committee they don’t agree with a blanket ban, arguing that cell phones can be a supportive learning tool, such as helping students conduct research, record audio and snap pictures of homework material from books they can’t take home.

The same day, Connecticut State Board of Education Vice Chair Erin Benham spoke in favor of her state’s current cell phone policies, which limit personal usage but allow schools to incorporate cell phones into their curriculum to prepare students to function in a “digital world.”  

Megan Stewart is a government accountability reporter for the Burlington Free Press. Contact her at mstewartyounger@gannett.com.