Beginning in the middle of the upcoming school year, Oregon students will be prohibited from using cellphones during school hours. Governor Tina Kotek issued an executive order on Wednesday mandating that all 197 school districts in the state implement policies to ban student cellphone usage by October 31, 2025. The order requires these policies to be fully enacted by January 1, 2026.
This decision follows the Oregon Legislature’s failure to pass a similar bipartisan measure—House Bill 2251—during the recent legislative session. The proposed bill aimed to restrict cellphone use across all grade levels, with certain exceptions, and included penalties for students who violated the rules. However, it failed to secure approval from a crucial Senate committee, facing opposition from influential school board and administrator groups who argued that such policies should be determined at the district level. Some school leaders also expressed concerns about the financial burden of enforcing the ban.
State Representative Lisa Reynolds, D-Beaverton, who was the chief sponsor of the unsuccessful bill, praised Governor Kotek for taking action. “By removing cellphones from our schools, Governor Kotek is prioritizing students,” she stated in a news release. “Every Oregon student deserves a distraction-free, harassment-free learning environment that encourages curiosity and fosters community.”
The executive order broadly prohibits the use of “personal electronic devices,” which encompasses any portable electronic device capable of making and receiving calls or text messages and independently accessing the internet, including smartwatches. However, the order does not extend to laptops or other devices that support educational activities in the classroom.
In November, the Oregon Department of Education provided guidance to districts on minimizing or eliminating cellphone use in schools. Currently, state law mandates that each school district establish its own policies regarding cellphones and personal electronic devices.
At least eight school districts in Oregon have already instituted bans on cellphone use in specific classes or throughout their schools. Full bans have been implemented in some middle and high schools within the Lincoln County School District, Portland Public Schools, and Nyssa School District, while the Lake Oswego School District prohibits cellphone use across all K-12 institutions.
