BY MILES LAYTON

HERTFORD — With the stroke of a pen on July 1, Governor Josh Stein signed into law House Bill 959, a sweeping education reform measure that will dramatically change how public schools across North Carolina manage cellphone use and address digital literacy. The new law has sparked conversations in local school districts, including Perquimans County Schools and Edenton-Chowan Schools, where superintendents are weighing the law’s impact on students, teachers, and classroom culture.

While the bill was welcomed by many as a bipartisan step toward better student focus and online safety, its implementation will depend largely on how local education leaders translate state directives into workable classroom policies.

Phone-Free Classrooms by 2026

At its core, House Bill 959 mandates that all public school districts create and enforce policies by January 1, 2026, that prohibit or limit student cellphone and wireless device use during instructional time. Exceptions are allowed for emergencies and for classroom activities where a teacher approves the use of personal devices.

In a press conference following the bill’s signing, Governor Stein emphasized the benefit to both teachers and students: “When teachers don’t have to compete with cell phones for student attention, real learning happens. Students deserve a seven-hour break from the pressures of social media.”

The law stems from recommendations made by the Advisory Council on Student Safety and Well-being, which advocated for fewer digital distractions in classrooms and better protection for students from online harm.

Perquimans County Schools: Already in Alignment, But Open to Review

Perquimans County Schools Superintendent Tanya Turner said the district is already ahead of the curve.

“Perquimans County Schools already has a Board-approved cellphone policy in place—Policy Code 4318—which prohibits the use of personal technology devices during instructional time unless explicitly permitted by a teacher for educational purposes,” she said. “It also includes exceptions for emergency use and ensures compliance with state and federal laws.”

Folks can view the full policy here: Perquimans Board Policy 4318. Pirates’ student code of conduct in Policy Code 4300 also addresses misuse of wireless devices as well. 

Turner added that the district’s student code of conduct (Policy 4300) reinforces expectations by clearly outlining disciplinary measures for misuse of wireless devices.

“In terms of compliance with House Bill 959, I believe our current policies already meet the primary requirements outlined in the new legislation,” she said. “However, we will review and update them as needed based on guidance from the Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA), and our legal counsel.”

Turner welcomed the law’s backing from the state, saying it empowers districts to be firmer and clearer when communicating expectations.

“While many districts already limit cellphone use, I believe the new law will give school leaders additional authority and support in reinforcing expectations during instructional time,” she said. “The added emphasis from the state may also help strengthen community understanding around the importance of minimizing digital distractions and preserving the learning environment.”

Edenton-Chowan Schools: Small Tweaks, Big Picture

Edenton-Chowan Schools Superintendent Tammi Ward said the new legislation likely won’t require major changes to her district’s operations—but it will prompt a careful review.

“We believe that we are following the new law with our current policy, but there may be a few tweaks that we have to do,” Ward said. “We’ll evaluate the bill, piece by piece, and take any necessary updates to our Board of Education.”

The district, she added, is already a “one-to-one” district, meaning every student has a school-issued digital device for academic use. In that environment, phones are already tightly restricted.

“Our emphasis has always been that our students are not using their phones during instructional time,” she explained. “We’ve got the resources they need to get online and complete their work without having to turn to personal devices.”

Ward acknowledged that policy clarity and community awareness are crucial for smooth enforcement.

“We know we’ve got things to work on just to inform our teachers, students, and parents about what the new law says,” she said.

Despite some lingering questions, she agreed with the law’s intent. “At the end of the day, this isn’t about punishing students—it’s about creating the best learning environment we can,” she said.

Teaching Social Media Literacy

Perhaps the most groundbreaking aspect of the law is its requirement that schools teach social media literacy—an entirely new instructional mandate for North Carolina districts.

Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, public schools must provide dedicated instruction in social media safety and critical thinking:

• Once in elementary school
• Once in middle school
• Twice in high school

Topics include cyberbullying, online addiction, manipulated content, misinformation, the permanence of digital posts, and signs of grooming or human trafficking. The law also calls for schools to strengthen internet safety protocols and ensure students’ data privacy.

Superintendent Turner said Perquimans County is already engaged in discussions about how to implement this new academic component.

“We are continuing the work and conversations about how to strengthen our instructional programming around this topic ahead of the 2026–27 school year,” Turner said. “It’s a timely and important issue that aligns with our commitment to preparing students not only academically, but also for safe and responsible digital citizenship.”

Mixed Reactions and Challenges Ahead

While school administrators largely support the new law, reactions from students and teachers across the state have been more cautious.

Recent graduates, such as Darren Frazier and Logan Leary, told WSOC-TV that students often find ways around phone bans and that enforcement varies widely between schools.

Some educators also note that policy alone is not enough. As one Wake County teacher told WRAL, “The rule only works if everyone—from administration to teachers—is willing to enforce it consistently. Otherwise, it just creates confusion.”

Implementation Timeline

The bill sets two major deadlines:

• January 1, 2026: Districts must adopt or revise cellphone restriction policies.
• 2026–27 school year: Schools must begin delivering social media literacy instruction at all three educational levels.

To assist with rollout, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is expected to release model policies, best practices, and instructional frameworks over the next year. Local boards and administrators will also collaborate with DPI, NCSBA, and regional education offices to align their policies with the state’s goals.

Conclusion: A Turning Point in Digital Education

House Bill 959 represents a major shift in how North Carolina schools address the digital habits of today’s students. With one hand, it seeks to remove distractions and improve classroom attention spans; with the other, it aims to build long-term awareness and resilience by educating students about the risks and realities of social media.

For superintendents like Turner and Ward, the law offers both challenges and opportunities—but also the chance to reinforce values they’ve long supported.

As implementation gets underway, school communities across North Carolina will be watching closely to see how this new law reshapes not only policy, but the culture of learning itself.