Indiana Advocates Push for Further School Screen Limits

Parents of K-12 students should monitor new legislative proposals aimed at reducing classroom screen time and digital exposure.

Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Secondary Education

Gouache-painted editorial illustration showing a stack of notebooks and wooden pencils on a wooden desk, evoking analog classroom learning. — Indiana advocates are pushing for new legislative proposals to further restrict digital screen exposure in K-12 classrooms across the state. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should schools in your area restrict student access to digital devices and screens during the day?

Following Indiana's implementation of a statewide bell-to-bell cellphone ban in July 2026, local advocate Connor Haynes is spearheading a push for further restrictions on student screen exposure. The initiative aims to standardize digital limits in classrooms to address concerns regarding the impact of screen-based childhoods on student well-being.

Why it matters

Advocates argue that limiting screen time is essential for improving student well-being and refocusing classroom environments on traditional, non-digital engagement. This effort follows a national wave of legislative activity aimed at regulating device use and digital product access during the school day.

Indiana implemented a mandatory bell-to-bell cellphone ban for all students in July 2026. This follows the passage of similar screen-use limitations in states like Tennessee and Utah, which have enacted laws regarding digital registries and classroom device time.

The players

Connor Haynes

A lead advocate for the Indiana chapter of the Distraction-Free Schools Policy Project who coordinates efforts to limit screen time in schools.

Distraction-Free Schools Policy Project

An advocacy group formed by Smartphone Free Childhood U.S. and the Becca Schmill Foundation that creates model school legislation.

The details

The Distraction-Free Schools Policy Project works by providing model legislation to state lawmakers and recruiting community leaders to conduct outreach. Their strategy focuses on shifting classroom environments toward analog learning by creating registries for school vendors and allowing digital opt-outs. These measures are designed to curb the prevalence of screen-based childhoods in public education systems.

Connor Haynes began his leadership role with the project in Spring 2026.
Indiana's bell-to-bell cellphone ban took effect in July 2026.

The Home Front

The move toward screen-free classrooms aligns with emerging legislative trends like Utah's SAFE Act, which targets digital product regulation. This represents a significant shift in school-board policy and state-level education mandates that affect daily student logistics.

Parents should check their local district's current policy on device usage to see if it meets the new state standards for a bell-to-bell ban. You may want to monitor upcoming legislative sessions for potential digital opt-out programs that could apply to your student.

The takeaway

School screen-time policies are evolving rapidly, focusing on balancing digital access with student well-being. Parents should stay informed by reviewing local school board agendas and tracking the progress of new legislation regarding digital opt-outs.