A new Missouri law will require all public school districts to implement stricter policies regarding student use of cell phones and other personal electronic communication devices during the school day, beginning with the 2025–26 school year.Senate Bill 68, recently signed into law by Governor Mike Kehoe, mandates that schools adopt policies prohibiting the use of such devices during instructional time, meal times, breaks, passing periods, study halls, and all other parts of the school day.While the Excelsior Springs School District already has guidelines in place to limit device use, the new legislation will require changes to existing policies. The district’s administrative team is currently reviewing those policies in collaboration with neighboring school districts and the Missouri School Boards’ Association. Further guidance from the state is expected to help inform the final policy decisions.Although the legislation requires restricti...