Students returning to campuses across the San Diego Unified School District this week are stepping into a new academic year — and a new set of rules for their mobile devices.

Beginning Monday, the first day of the 2025–2026 school year, the district’s mobile phone policy officially went into effect. The change comes after the Board of Education voted last month to approve guidelines they say are designed to “help minimize student distractions, elevate academic performance and prioritize students’ mental health and well-being.”

District officials note the policy was “developed in accordance with California’s Phone-Free School Act,” a law passed to encourage campuses to reduce device-related interruptions in learning environments. They also emphasize that the process included “significant input from students, parents, and educators” before the final rules were adopted.

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• In line with California’s Phone-Free School Act.

• Applies to Transitional Kindergarten through 12th grade.

• Phones off and out of sight during school hours.

• Use allowed before/after school, on buses, and in extracurriculars.

• High school students may use devices during lunch and passing periods.

• Exceptions for emergencies, approved lessons, and special needs.

• Step-by-step enforcement: verbal reminders, counselor referrals, parent contact, confiscation.

• Repeat violations may lead to restrictions from school activities.

The district-wide rules apply to every grade level, from the youngest Transitional Kindergarten students to graduating seniors. Under the new guidelines, phones must be completely turned off and kept out of sight during regular instructional hours.

Students are still free to use their devices before the morning bell, after dismissal, while traveling on school buses, and during extracurricular programs. For high school students, there is an added window of flexibility — phones can be used during lunch breaks and between classes during passing periods.

Recognizing that some situations call for exceptions, the policy permits device use in emergencies, when authorized by teachers for instructional purposes, or when needed to accommodate special needs.

Enforcement, officials say, will not rely on immediate punishment but on what they describe as a “Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports + Restorative Justice Practices approach.” This begins with a verbal reminder, followed by a counselor referral if necessary. Continued violations may prompt parent contact, and ultimately, confiscation of the phone.

The district warns that persistent noncompliance could result in students being barred from attending certain school events and activities — a step administrators hope will not become necessary.

“Phones have a place in students’ lives, but not at the cost of focus, learning, and well-being,” one board member remarked during the vote last month. “This policy strikes that balance.”