Cell phones banned from KS schools this fall. How Wichita-area districts are responding
Starting this fall, Kansas students will not be allowed to bring their cell phones into school due to a new state law signed this spring.
The law bans the use of cell phones and personal electronic devices in school buildings during school hours — including computers, watches, headphones and tablets. While one Wichita-area suburb had already banned cell phones previously, some other districts are having to change policies — and consider big purchases — in order to comply with the new law.
Here’s what to know about your school district’s status on cell phone bans ahead of the 2026-27 school year.
Wichita school district
Updating cell phone policies isn’t new for the Wichita school district.
In 2023, the district updated its policy to allow cell phone usage only in passing periods and lunch. Communications supervisor Susan Arensman told The Eagle that the district is set to update its cell phone policy in accordance with the new law during its July meeting.
Andover school district
The Andover school district changed its policy to ban cell phone usage in February.
The new high school policy requires all cell phones and personal electronic devices to be powered off and stowed off of the person during school hours — before the 8 a.m. bell — and not powered on until after 3 p.m.
If students need to contact family members, they can do so by using the main office phone or emailing family members from their school email. Students who do not comply could have their PEDs confiscated.
Derby school district
Derby recently updated its policy during a June school board meeting.
The policy now reads that all personal devices must be “powered off and inaccessible during the school day and stored in a locker or vehicle or left at home.” Students will have the options of requesting a locker to store their phone during school hours. The lockers are in a separate hallway and can not be accessed during the school day.
“If you need to contact your child during the school day for any reason, please call or email the school office. If your child needs to reach a family member or caregiver during the school day, they should inform their teacher or go to the school office,” the handbook reads.
Goddard school district
Goddard’s new policy states that all electronic devices must be stored away and powered off during the school hours while on district property. The school superintendent will develop procedures to enforce the new policy, which will be provided to students in the school handbook when school begins.
All students will have access to a school telephone during the day if they need to contact a parent for any reason, the policy states.
Haysville school district
Haysville’s school board is considering a $150,000 to $180,000 purchase cell phone lockers for all secondary students to store their electronic devices during the school day.
The school board will look at the proposal again during its July meeting, where its will also discuss outlining disciplinary measures for students who do not follow the cell phone ban.
Maize school district
The Maize school district updated its policy to respond to the new state law.
It now reads: “Students will not be allowed to use personal devices . . . This applies to any device that is not issued by the school. The “school day” includes the full instructional day, from the start of school until dismissal, including class time, recess, lunch, passing periods, and any other school activity on campus.”
The policy goes on to say that under the new law, all devices must be turned off and in a location not accessible to students, including leaving the device at home or in a vehicle.
Valley Center school district
Valley Center also updated its policy, which now reads devices “are prohibited during the school day. Any such device(s) must be turned off and securely stored away from the student’s person in an inaccessible location during the school day.”
According to Valley Center’s superintendent, the district is still working on finalizing a part of the policy that discusses ways to contact parents during the school day. The draft version reads: “students are allowed reasonable access to a school-provided telephone or communication device during the school day to contact a parent or person acting as a parent.”
