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Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

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Student Cell Phone and Personal Communication Device Policy Update for 2025-26

Updated August 15, 2025. More details will be shared in school:

What’s new?

  • Smartwatches are now included among the personal communication devices (such as cell phones and bluetooth-enabled earbuds/headphones) that may not be used, displayed or turned on during the instructional day. This supports our belief that the school day should be a time for focused learning, engagement, personal growth, and free from unnecessary distractions. It also ensures CHCCS will be in compliance with a new North Carolina state law. Some exceptions apply. 

Details:

As you may already know, the North Carolina General Assembly passed House Bill 959 regulating the use of cell phones and other wireless communication devices during school instructional time in all grades, K-12. The bill, which was signed into law, requires North Carolina’s public school districts to establish a policy that “...shall prohibit students from using, displaying or having a wireless communication device turned on during instructional time.”

While the new policy is not required by law until January 1, 2026, CHCCS believes it would ease the transition if we updated our current device rules now, so that these new changes take effect at the start of our upcoming school year, which begins on August 25, 2025. 

What will be new at the start of the 2025-26 school year?

  • At high school, wireless communication devices (including cell phones, bluetooth-enabled ear buds/headphones and smartwatches) will not be used, displayed or turned on during the instructional day. This will include class transition times. However, high school students will still be permitted to use their devices during lunch. 
  • At middle school, there will be no major changes compared to last year. Students already adjusted to “away for the day” expectations in 2024-25. “Away for the day” means students may bring their devices to school, but devices will remain in middle school lockers throughout the instructional day.
  • At elementary school, any student who has a device will be expected to keep it “away for the day” as well.
  • At all grade levels, smart watches will not be worn or displayed during instructional time. As stated above, high school students will still be able to use their devices during lunch.
  • Exceptions exist for emergencies, or as required by students with medical needs and/or a student’s individual education plan.

The new law was most recently discussed at the CHCCS Board of Education’s July 10 and August 14 meetings, where the Board agreed that it would be better to implement the changes at the beginning of the school year (August 2025), instead of at the midway point (January 2026). CHCCS will monitor the impact of the new requirements and make tweaks as needed. 

Please expect repeated communication from your school. In January 2026, CHCCS administration will evaluate the impact of the new law, and make recommendations for possible modifications, if needed.

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