Hundreds of thousands of students in Indiana could soon face a strict new rule at school: no cell phones at all during the school day.

State lawmakers recently passed a bill that would implement a “bell-to-bell” ban on student cell phone use in schools, meaning students would not be allowed to use their phones at any point during the school day — including lunch and passing periods. If the bill is signed into law, the new policy would take effect in July.

Indiana already restricts phone use during instructional time, but the new measure would go even further. The proposed law would apply not only to public schools, but also to school corporations and charter schools across the state.

Supporters of the bill say the goal is simple: reduce distractions and help students focus on learning.

Indiana state senator Jeff Raatz, who authored the bill, explained that the legislation is designed to tackle the growing problem of phones pulling students’ attention away from the classroom.

School leaders are now working through how the new rules might be enforced. Julie French, a school board member in Warren Township, said districts are still discussing what the policy will look like in practice.

“It depends on what policy we decide upon as to whether they cannot even bring them to school at all, or if they can leave them in book bags,” French said.

Some schools that have already implemented full phone bans use locking pouches that students place their phones in at the start of the day. However, those tools come with a cost. The pouches typically run between $15 and $30 each, and the state will not provide funding for them.

The bill also addresses the use of technology in the classroom. Under the proposal, students will still be able to use school-provided or “school-sanctioned” devices during instructional time until July 1, 2028. After that date, only school-issued devices will be allowed for classroom work.

Indiana is not alone in addressing the issue of phones in schools. According to an Education Week tracker, 31 states and the District of Columbia already require schools to ban or restrict students’ cell phone use.

For many parents and educators, the debate highlights a larger question: how to help students stay focused in a world filled with constant digital distractions.