New Indiana Law Bans Student Cell Phones Bell-to-Bell Starting July 1

From the Blackford County School Board meeting on March 17, 2026

A new Indiana state law requires all school districts to implement a bell-to-bell student device ban by July 1, 2026. Blackford County Schools discussed implementation plans at the March 17 board meeting.

The district already banned phones during classroom instruction, but the new law extends the ban to passing periods and lunch — times when students at Blackford Junior-Senior High School currently have access. Elementary schools reported no current issues with student devices.

The district is opting for a locker storage policy — phones powered off and stored in lockers — rather than phone pouches or a total building ban. The superintendent explained the reasoning: pouches are expensive and easily gamed, with students putting non-functional phones in them. A total ban is impractical because students who stay after school need to call for rides.

The ban covers phones, tablets, gaming devices, and cellular-connected smartwatches. Exceptions will be made for documented medical conditions such as diabetes monitors that connect through phones, IEP accommodations, and English learners who need translation apps.

Enforcement will follow progressive discipline: warning, parent call, confiscation, then Saturday school. The principal team was already working through implementation logistics.

Parents of Blackford County students should expect communication about the new policy before the July 1 deadline.

Source: YouTube transcript — Blackford County School Board meeting, March 17, 2026