QACPS adopts updated policy regulating student use of personal electronic communication devices.
CENTREVILLE, MD – The Queen Anne’s County Board of Education adopted an updated Policy 603 – Personal Electronic Communication Device (PDF) and Regulation 603.1 (PDF) on August 5, 2026, establishing expectations for the use and storage of personal electronic communication devices by students during the school day.
Under the updated policy, students are prohibited from using personal electronic communication devices during the academic school day, which is defined as the period beginning with the first bell and ending with the dismissal bell. This includes instructional periods as well as lunch, recess, passing periods, and transitional periods. The policy applies broadly to personal electronic communication devices, including cell phones, smartwatches, wireless headphones and earbuds, tablets, personal laptops or gaming devices, geolocation devices, smart glasses, and other portable devices capable of receiving, sending, or recording voice, image, or text content.
Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, students are expected to turn off and store personal electronic communication devices before entering the school building. Students may not use electronic communication devices during the academic school day and may not access or use social media platforms during that time. The regulation also establishes specific exceptions to ensure that students’ educational, medical, accessibility, language, and caregiving needs continue to be supported.
QACPS’s updated policy is being implemented in alignment with House Bill 525, the Joanne C. Benson Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act (PDF), which was approved by Governor Wes Moore on May 26, 2026, and takes effect July 1, 2026. The law requires every Maryland county board of education to develop and implement, no later than the 2027–2028 school year, a policy limiting the use of electronic communication devices by students during the academic school day.
Although Maryland school systems have until the 2027–2028 school year to implement policies required under the new law, QACPS is implementing its updated policy beginning with the 2026–2027 school year. QACPS joins other Maryland school districts that are moving forward with local phone-free or electronic-device policies ahead of the statewide deadline.
QACPS recognizes that changes to expectations surrounding personal electronic devices represent an adjustment for students, families, and staff. The school system will work to communicate the policy and implementation procedures clearly and consistently throughout the school year.
For additional information regarding Policy 603 and Regulation 603.1, families may contact their child’s school or the Queen Anne’s County Public Schools central office.