Overview
Title
To require State educational agencies to implement policies prohibiting the use or possession of personal mobile phones by students in public school classrooms during school hours, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The UNPLUGGED Act of 2025 wants schools to make rules so kids can't use or keep their phones in class during the day because it might be bad for their learning and health. Schools will have safe places to keep phones, but there are some exceptions for kids who need them for health reasons.
Summary AI
H.R. 2700, known as the "UNPLUGGED Act of 2025," proposes that state educational agencies create rules to ban students from using or having personal mobile phones during school hours in public school classrooms. The bill highlights the negative impact of phone usage on students’ attention, academic performance, and mental health. Schools would be required to have secure storage options for phones, like lockers or pouches, but exceptions could be made for medical needs or special educational plans. Additionally, a grant program is included to assist schools in implementing secure storage solutions.
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AnalysisAI
Overview of the Bill
H.R. 2700, introduced in the 119th Congress, aims to prohibit the use or possession of personal mobile phones by students in public school classrooms during school hours. The bill, titled the "Utilize No Phones in Learning to Unleash Growth in Grades and Educate Distraction-free Act of 2025," also known as the "UNPLUGGED Act of 2025," addresses concerns about the impact of mobile phones on educational environments and student well-being. It mandates state educational agencies to establish enforcement policies in coordination with local agencies and offers a grant program to help schools implement secure storage solutions for electronic devices.
Significant Issues
A key issue with the bill is the potential burden it places on state and local educational agencies to create, enforce, and potentially fund new policies concerning mobile phone usage in schools. Section 3 places responsibility on educational bodies without providing detailed implementation guidelines or guaranteed funding to cover administrative expenses. There is concern about the financial strain this might impose, particularly in underfunded districts, leading to inconsistent enforcement of the law across different regions.
Another significant issue is how broadly the bill defines personal electronic devices. By doing so, it could inadvertently include gadgets not typically considered mobile phones, causing potential confusion and difficulty in enforcement. Furthermore, there exists a risk that students who need access to phones for legitimate reasons, such as medical conditions or disabilities, may be unfairly impacted, raising equity and ethical concerns.
Impact on the Public
Through its intended purpose, the bill could positively affect educational environments by potentially reducing distractions in the classroom, thus enhancing focus and academic performance. However, the strict prohibition of phones might not account for legitimate educational and personal safety needs in the rapidly evolving digital age. Notably, schools might face logistical challenges in implementing secure storage solutions, which could require additional expenditures and administrative efforts.
Impact on Stakeholders
For students, the bill could offer a distraction-free learning environment, which may lead to improved educational outcomes. Nevertheless, students relying on mobile phones for accessibility or emergency personal communications might encounter challenges under this law. Teachers could benefit from fewer classroom interruptions, though they may need to adapt to new protocols and storage methods, which could add to their workload.
Parents might appreciate the reduction in classroom distractions but face difficulty contacting their children directly during the school day. Schools and school districts might experience administrative and financial burdens if they lack existing infrastructure for secure device storage, potentially diverting resources from other educational priorities.
Overall, the UNPLUGGED Act highlights a need for balancing educational discipline with understanding students' diverse needs for communication and accessibility. It underscores the potential positive impact of reduced phone usage on learning environments while highlighting practical and ethical considerations that require careful attention.
Issues
The broad prohibition of student mobile phone possession in Section 3 may disproportionately affect students who rely on phones for accessibility reasons, such as those with disabilities or medical conditions, raising ethical and equity concerns.
The lack of detailed implementation guidelines or defined funding for administrative burdens in Section 3 could place financial strain on educational agencies, potentially resulting in inequitable enforcement across different regions.
Section 2 presents claims about the negative impact of mobile phones on education without specific quantitative data or research methods, which may raise questions about the validity of the findings and influence legislative transparency.
The definition of 'mobile phone' and 'personal electronic device' in Section 4 is broad and could lead to confusion and inconsistent enforcement, as it might include devices not typically considered mobile phones, such as certain wireless communication gadgets.
The requirement for secure storage methods in Section 3(b) could lead to unnecessary or redundant expenditures, especially for schools that already have adequate storage solutions, representing possible wasteful spending.
Section 3(d)'s minimum standard provision may lead to variable implementation across different states or districts, potentially resulting in disparities and inconsistencies in educational policy enforcement.
The absence of specific timelines or benchmarks for evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed policies in Section 2 could lead to issues with accountability and the assessment of the Act's impact.
Section 2 does not discuss counterarguments or different perspectives on mobile phone use in education, which may result in an unbalanced presentation that affects public and political support for the bill.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the Act provides its name, which is the "Utilize No Phones in Learning to Unleash Growth in Grades and Educate Distraction-free Act of 2025," also known as the "UNPLUGGED Act of 2025."
2. Findings; sense of Congress Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
Congress acknowledges that excessive mobile phone use in schools harms education and mental health, and suggests that schools work with parents and students to create policies that minimize phone distractions while allowing necessary communications between parents and students through school officials.
3. Prohibition of student phone possession in schools Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section requires each state to work with local schools to create a rule that bans students from using personal electronic devices, like phones, during school hours. Exceptions can be made for students who need them for medical reasons or as part of specific educational plans, and the Secretary of Education will offer grants to help schools manage these electronic devices securely.
4. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section provides definitions for key terms used in the Act, such as "elementary school" and "secondary school" from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, "individualized education program" from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and terms like "mobile phone", "personal electronic device", "public school", and "school hours" with specific criteria and exclusions.