Latest news with #HB1105
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
DeSantis signs bill expanding cellphone restrictions in Florida schools
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill that will expand a restriction on cellphone use in Florida schools. The bill (HB 1105), which was approved by the legislature on May 2, revises the law that has prevented students from using cellphones during instructional time. The bill will prohibit cellphone use throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools. It also will create a pilot program in six counties that will prevent cellphone use in high schools throughout the school day. Charter school funding and conversion changes The House voted 85-14 to pass the bill, which includes a series of education issues, while the Senate approved it in a 26-5 vote. The bill also will make changes that could help charter schools. For instance, it will require that charter schools get a cut if school districts receive sales-tax money through what is known as a local-government infrastructure surtax. Charter schools would receive proportionate shares based on school enrollment. Also, the bill will make it easier to convert traditional public schools to charter schools. Currently, such conversions must receive support from a majority of parents and a majority of teachers. The bill, which will take effect July 1, removes the requirement for teacher support.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School cell phone bill goes to desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis
The Legislature on Friday formally sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a bill that would prohibit elementary and middle school students from using cell phones during the entire school day. The cell-phone change, which was included in a broader education bill (HB 1105), would expand on a current law that prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time. It would prohibit cell-phone use throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools. It would also create a pilot program in six counties that would prevent cell phone use in high schools throughout the school day. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida marching band students can get PE credit under new bill, what to know
Hauling a tuba is hard work, and Florida is ready to acknowledge that. Florida marching band students can get credit for physical education or performing arts under new House Bill 1105, passed by the state Senate on May 2. "This significant legislation acknowledges the rigorous physical activity involved in marching band and is another important step forward in supporting and enhancing music education in Florida's schools," the Florida Music Education Association posted on social media on May 10. "We look forward to the Governor's signature!" HB 1105, an omnibus education bill containing a variety of initiatives that did not pass on their own, also prohibits students in elementary and middle schools from using wireless communications (such as cell phones and tablets) during the school day, and blocks high school students from using them in class without teacher permission. The bill makes changes to state law to benefit charter schools, expands qualifications for Florida Bright Futures scholarships and assorted academic awards, adds more career or vocational options for dual education, course credits and graduation requirements, and requires school boards to develop a 3-year strategic plan to better align specific curriculums to meet local workforce needs. It also moves the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys from the Department of Legal Affairs to Florida Memorial University. Cell phones in Florida schools: Did cell phones get banned from Florida schools? What to know about the potential new law Currently, Florida students must complete one credit in physical education to get a high school diploma. Florida statutes already allowed completion of one semester with a grade of "C" or better in a marching band class or in a PE class that required participation in marching band activities to count as one-half credit toward the PE requirement. Under HB 1105, "Completion of 2 years of marching band shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in physical education or the one-credit requirement in performing arts." The credit may not be used to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive physical education under an individual education plan (IEP) or 504 plan. If signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis or allowed to become law without his signature, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2025. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: High school marching band counts as physical education in Florida bill
Newsweek
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Florida Schools Consider Expanding Phone Ban
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Members of the Palm Beach County School Board in Florida are considering expanding a ban on cellphone use in schools. Newsweek has contacted the school board for comment via email. Why It Matters Florida became the first state to crack down on phones on school in 2023 with a law that requires all public schools to ban student cellphone use during class time. Some states have followed suit—while many others have policies that restrict students' use of cellphones in schools. Supporters say limiting use of cellphones will improve student learning and mental health. But others have noted that the bans could impact safety and not allow students to communicate on their phones in an emergency, such as during a school shooting. A stock photo shows students using cellphones. A stock photo shows students using cellphones. iStock What To Know Lawmakers in Florida have approved legislation that would go further than the law already in effect and ban elementary and middle school students from using cellphones during the school day. HB 1105 would also establish a pilot program for six school districts, which have yet to be named, to ban cellphone use for high school students "from bell to bell," according to The Palm Beach Post. It is expected to be signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. At a meeting last week, several members of the Palm Beach County School Board supported the idea of extending the "bell-to-bell" ban to high school students in the district. Board member Edwin Ferguson said he is in favor of creating a policy for high school students because cellphones are "a huge distraction." He noted that another district, Orange County Public Schools, had already banned phones for the entire school day. Another member, Matthew Jay Lane, said he supported the idea, pointing to studies that have shown it will "increase academic achievement, enhance interpersonal communication, limit distractions and reduce bullying." Another board member, Gloria Branch, said she supported students not being able to use their phones during the school day, but opposed spending money on pouches to keep phones locked in. Board chair Karen Brill noted that parents who oppose the ban want to ensure their children have access to their phones in an emergency. She said: "They don't want their phones collected because they're worried that if there was that emergency and they had to go into a safe room, that they would not have the phones on them." Other board members argued that the district should focus on implementing the bell-to-bell ban on elementary and middle school students. Marcia Andrews said she believes cellphones are "dangerous to our children," but that students "need the phones for emergencies." She added: "We're going to have to follow the law, but I think we don't need to jump out there and begin to overdo this thing. I think high schools do a great job with taking care of the cellphones." Erica Whitfield, another board member, agreed, saying that she is "always cautious when we talk about doing something huge to the school system." What People Are Saying Isabella Mirisola, the board's student representative, said during the meeting that she agrees students "shouldn't be on their phones during the school day." But she said she believes students should be allowed to keep their phones on them "considering that, if there's an emergency in a school, I don't think that the teachers or administration are going to jump at emailing parents or calling parents. I think they're going to try getting rid of the situation first." What's Next The school board will hold a workshop on May 28 to discuss how to implement HB 1105.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Did cell phones get banned from Florida schools? What to know about the potential new law
Florida elementary and middle school students would be banned from using cell phones from "bell to bell" during the school day under a bill passed by the Florida Legislature along partisan lines on Friday, May 2. High school students would still be permitted to use them during instructional time, but House Bill 1105, an omnibus education bill composed of several previously filed initiatives, also creates a pilot program in six counties to test banning phone use during the entire school day there as well. In 2023, Florida became the first state to restrict students' cell phone use during class. Indiana and Ohio soon followed. Now, states are looking to block mobile phone use entirely, despite critics' concerns about emergencies — such as shootings — in school. Last week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law similar to Florida's current rules, and New York is considering its own total ban. Does HB 1105 Education ban phones in Florida schools? If the bill goes into effect, elementary and middle school students may not use any wireless communications device during the school day. In high school, students would be permitted to use wireless communications devices outside of instructional time or if directed by a teacher solely for educational purposes, in an area the teacher designates. The bill does not say that students may not carry phones, only that they may not use them. Exemptions are included for students with medical requirements for the use of a wireless communications device "based on valid clinical reasoning or evidence." Meanwhile, the Department of Education is directed to select six school districts representing two small, two medium, and two large counties to enact a school phone ban. By the end of 2026, they must provide a report on the effects of a total phone and tablet ban on student achievement and behavior and create a model policy based on their findings that other school districts and charter schools in Florida can adopt. Students in those districts would not be permitted to use phones or personal electronic devices during the entire school day, while on school grounds, or while engaged in school activities off school grounds during the school day. The pilot program's report must also report on the number of violations that include phone use for illegal activities, bullying, harassment, threatening, cheating, or capturing or displaying images or video of a student during a medical issue or "engaged in misconduct." House education bill bans cell phone use, benefits charter schools The ban was initially the focus of House Bill 949, filed by Rep. Demi Busatta, R-Coral Gables, but that bill was postponed indefinitely last week when language from it was included in the omnibus education bill. HB 1105 also makes it easier to convert public schools into charter schools by putting the decision to convert solely in the hands of a majority of parents, without input from teachers or administrators. The bill also adds more benefits for charter schools, such as: Allowing municipalities to apply to convert existing public schools into job engine charter schools — privately run charter schools designed to attract "job-priducing entities" to the area by creating curricula aligned with their needs — if the school scores less than an "A" from the state for five years in a row Requiring school districts to share discretionary surtax revenue with charter schools Allowing some private schools to build new facilities without seeking rezoning or adhering to mitigation requirements A 2023 Pew Research Center analysis found that 72% of the high school teachers surveyed said cellphone usage in classrooms distracts students, although (unsurprisingly) 70% of students ages 13-17 said that phone use was generally more positive than negative and 45% said that smartphones benefited their educational experience. Nearly a quarter of the teens polled said phones made learning more difficult and 30% did not notice a difference. What states ban cell phone use in schools? Many other states, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Vermont have either considered or passed student phone use bans in the last couple of years. However, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a phone ban last year, saying schools were already handling the issue on their own. According to the Pew study, in 2024, 82% of K-12 teachers in the U.S. said their school or district already had some sort of cellphone policy in place. Bans in other states range in severity, with some allowing phone use during lunch and in between classes. Some districts require students to bag their phones in sealed pouches or store them in lockers during school hours. Critics of student phone bans worry that in case of emergencies, including school shootings, immediate communication between students and parents or law enforcement is vital. 'A HUGE debate that comes up in our group is the fear of school shootings," said Jodie Sherrill, one of the main moderators in the Parenting in a Tech World forum. "Many parents argue they want their child to reach them in that tragic event; the parent wants to reach the child; perhaps they can help get them out, or even just to say 'I love you' one last time.' Phone bans: Do smartphone bans work if parents push back? When would the student phone ban in Florida take effect? If signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis or allowed to become law without his signature, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2025. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida bans student cell phone use, here's when and where
