H.R. 2700 — UNPLUGGED Act of 2025

This section sets forth congressional findings on the critical role of public education and the detrimental effects of excessive mobile phone use during school hours, including reduced student attention and academic performance, increased anxiety and depression, higher bullying and distractions, and national economic impacts, citing peer-reviewed studies and research by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. It expresses the sense of Congress that state educational agencies, in coordination with local educational agencies and consultation with educators, parents, and students, should establish and enforce policies enabling parents to notify students through school officials about forgotten items, pick-up time changes, and other common issues, and allowing schools to communicate with parents on time-sensitive matters.

This section requires each state educational agency (SEA), in coordination with local educational agencies (LEAs), to establish and enforce a policy prohibiting student possession or use of personal electronic devices—including mobile phones—in public schools during school hours, no later than the first school year after enactment. The policy may require secure storage methods (e.g., lockable lockers, signal-blocking pouches) and permit exceptions for (1) students with certified medical or health needs; (2) students with disabilities addressed in an individualized education program or Section 504 plan under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; (3) English learners with documented instructional needs; and (4) other cases deemed necessary. This section further establishes these requirements as a minimum standard that does not preempt stricter state or local policies and authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to SEAs for secure storage methods, training, and related infrastructure.

This section establishes definitions for terms used in the Act. Such terms include (1) elementary school, English learner, local educational agency, secondary school, State, and State educational agency, which have the meanings given in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; (2) individualized education program, which has the meaning given in section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; (3) mobile phone, meaning any handheld communication device with cellular, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth capability, including smartphones and similar devices; (4) personal electronic device, including mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, and other handheld or wearable devices with communication, internet, or multimedia capabilities, but excluding laptops or tablets authorized by the school and used solely for instructional purposes under teacher supervision if restricted from accessing social media platforms, personal email, messaging or texting services, and other non-academic applications during instructional time; (5) public school, meaning a public elementary school or public secondary school; and (6) school hours, meaning the period from the start of the instructional day until the end of the instructional day, as defined by the State educational agency.