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S 2561

Authorizes the governing body of certain municipal corporations to authorize an extension of exemption applications until such municipality's grievance date for persons sixty-five years of age or older

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Leroy Comrie

Massachusetts bans student personal electronic devices on school grounds during the day, with district policies, DESE guidance, and exemptions for health, IEP/504, and emergencies.

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Bill Summary · S 2561

Summary — S.2561 (2025): “An Act to promote student learning and mental health”

Status & procedural notes
- Introduced in the Massachusetts Senate: July 31, 2025. Reported by Senate Ways & Means (filed 7/24/2025). Read three times; substituted, as amended, for S.2549. Multiple floor amendments were considered (several adopted, several rejected). Referred to committee(s) as noted in the legislative history.
- Key deadlines in the bill: local policies must be in place before the 2026–2027 school year; each school/district must file its policy annually by September 1; the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) must submit an implementation report by December 31, 2027.

Purpose / intent
- To reduce in-school distractions and promote student learning and mental health by limiting student possession and use of personal electronic devices (PEDs) on school grounds during the school day and during school‑sponsored activities occurring during that time.
- To require statewide guidance and a model policy from DESE and to require individual schools/districts to adopt and publish local policies consistent with that guidance.

Key provisions
1. Definitions (Chapter 69, new Section 40)
- “Personal electronic device” (PED) covers portable devices capable of voice/text/data communication or connecting to internet/cellular/Wi‑Fi (e.g., cell phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, Bluetooth devices).
- Excludes school‑issued or sanctioned devices when used for legitimate educational purposes.

  1. DESE responsibilities (Chapter 69, Section 40)

    • Provide guidance, recommendations and a model policy to help districts prohibit PED use/possession on school grounds during the school day.
    • Guidance must address:
      • Preventing personal use of school‑issued devices;
      • Options and best practices for secure storage (removing physical access);
      • Enforcement provisions that include safeguards to prevent inequitable discipline.
    • DESE must solicit public input before finalizing guidance and post and annually update guidance on its website.

  2. School/district policies (Chapter 71, new Section 102)

    • Each public school/district must adopt a policy prohibiting student use and actual possession (on their person) of PEDs during the school day (includes recess, lunch, passing time).
    • Policies must provide at least one means for parents/guardians to contact students during the day (including emergency/urgent contact).
    • Enforcement provisions must prevent inequitable discipline; disciplinary responses may not include student suspension or expulsion for noncompliance.
    • Variations by developmental level or school structure are permitted, but possession/use is prohibited unless explicitly authorized.

  3. Explicit exemptions (policy must allow, as applicable)

    • Use consistent with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 plan;
    • Accommodations required under state or federal disability law (e.g., ADA Title II);
    • Time spent off school grounds while traveling to/from alternate learning sites (early college, dual enrollment, vocational sites);
    • A written note from a healthcare provider stating a PED is necessary to treat a student’s health condition;
    • Other case‑specific or targeted exemptions in DESE’s model policy (examples: multilingual learners, teacher‑directed use, emergencies, safety, student health, technology that disables PEDs).

  4. Notification, approval and fallback

    • Schools must notify students and parents/guardians annually and post the policy on the school website by September 1.
    • Policies and enforcement rules must be approved by the school committee/board prior to taking effect. If no local policy is approved by September 1, DESE’s model policy automatically takes effect until a local policy is adopted.

  5. Implementation timeline and reporting

    • Local adoption required before start of 2026–2027 school year.
    • DESE must report on implementation to the legislature by December 31, 2027.

Who is affected
- Public school students, parents/guardians, teachers, school administrators, school committees/boards, and districts across Massachusetts.
- DESE is responsible for producing model guidance, soliciting public input, hosting policies, and reporting on implementation.
- Students with disabilities and others needing exemptions are expressly protected by exemption provisions.

Potential impacts and considerations
- Intended benefits: reduce classroom distraction, support student mental health and learning, create consistent statewide baseline.
- Practical impacts: districts will need to develop logistics for secure storage, enforcement approaches that avoid disproportionate disciplinary impacts, communication systems for parents, staff training, and processes for handling exemptions.
- Equity and disability considerations: the bill emphasizes preventing inequitable discipline and provides specific procedural and legal exemptions (IEP/504/ADA, health provider notes).
- Administrative burden: annual filings, posting, and the DESE reporting requirement create ongoing compliance requirements for districts.

Related/ancillary information
- Sponsors and related bill numbers were provided with the file but appear inconsistent with state/federal distinctions; the substantive text above is specific to Massachusetts General Laws (Chapters 69 and 71) as contained in this draft of S.2561.
- Related prior-session bills noted: S.8047, S.3787, S.1547.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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