On July 9, Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33 requiring cell phone-free education in all schools in the Commonwealth. In the executive order, the Virginia Department of Education is required to define what cell phone-free education means. Now, the guidance is available. This is what cell-phone free schools means for each age group:

The Virginia Department of Education announced on Tuesday that it has published its final cell-phone-free education guidelines. Two months ago, the governor directed the department to develop them to limit students’ time using “addictive” cell phones in schools and eliminate “clear distractions” in the classroom.

The 74 reports that whether they use Yondr to secure devices or send students to their lockers, educators are finding that setting policy is easy, but enforcement is hard.

A school has introduced a ban on smartphones in an attempt to remove "constant access to the toxicity" of social media. Teachers at Boston Grammar School said since it introduced its Digital Detox in the summer term "noise has increased" because students are talking more.

VDOE says its goal is to provide a distraction-free environment to allow kids to focus on learning and reduce the alarming mental health crisis from cell phones and social media.

Virginia's Department of Education released its final guidance on cellphone usage for K-12 students after Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33

The Virginia Department of Education released final guidelines for school districts to become cellphone-free zones by the start of 2025.