NORTH CAROLINA, December 11 - A report issued this week by Governor Stein’s Advisory Council for Student Safety & Well-Being formed in April 2025 relates early success stories from public school districts that have implemented policies to make classrooms cell phone-free.  

“Getting rid of the distraction of cell phones in classrooms prioritizes our students’ well-being and academic achievement and improves their learning environments,” said Governor Stein. “I am encouraged to hear that schools are seeing improved academic outcomes, increased social interactions and engagement, and fewer discipline concerns after implementing their local policy.”

The video report from the Governor's Advisory Council for Student Safety and Well-Being highlights the experiences shared by early adopters of local policies that restrict the use of wireless communication devices, including cell phones, during instructional time. The new law signed by Governor Stein goes into effect in January 2026 mandating public school units’ creation and implementation of policies to restrict the use of personal communication devices. With this law, North Carolina joins 31 other states in enacting legislation on wireless communication devices.

In June 2025, before the passage of Session Law 2025-38, the Advisory Council published a handbook to aid school systems in developing and implementing local policies to make classrooms cell phone-free: Best Practices Guide for North Carolina Public Schools Units (PSUs) Establishing Personal Communication Device Policies. Governor Stein set development of this guide as the Advisory Council’s first priority to support school systems in creating healthy learning environments for students that contribute to increased academic achievement and improved student well-being.

"We’ve seen real urgency from school leaders to implement these new policies, even before January when they’re legally required to,” said Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch, co-chair of the Advisory Council. “Every public school unit now has a plan in place to manage student cell phone use, and most have updated their policies in response to the new law. That’s incredibly encouraging because these changes are all about creating classrooms where students can focus, learn, and thrive, and that’s a goal we all share.”  

Governor Stein established the Advisory Council via Executive Order 13. Its mission is to advance North Carolina’s commitment to safe, welcoming, and inclusive schools by proposing and implementing solutions to promote school safety and improve student physical, social, and emotional well-being. It develops recommendations, provides guidance to state agencies, works with local communities, and shares best practices.  

The Advisory Council is co-chaired by Sen. Sydney Batch, Senate Democratic Leader; William Lassiter, Deputy Secretary of the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and Heather Smith, the 2024 North Carolina Teacher of the Year who works in Haywood County.