Phone-Free School Grants: Funding for LockedIn
State and federal grants are funding phone-free school policies right now. LockedIn is a software-only implementation — no pouches, lockers, or hardware line items — so a grant stretches further and a school can launch within a week.
Use this language in your application
Program description
The district will implement LockedIn, a software-based phone-free campus platform. During school hours on campus, the LockedIn student app (iOS/Android) automatically locks district-selected apps — typically social media, games, browsers, and messaging — on each student’s own device. Off campus or outside school hours, the phone works normally. Calls home and 911 always work, and approved functions (calculator, school apps, medical apps) and accessibility accommodations remain available. There is no hardware to purchase. Setup takes approximately one day per school, and a school can launch within one week. The admin dashboard gives deans automatic, timestamped enforcement and flags workaround attempts by student name, so enforcement does not fall on classroom teachers. Emergency tooling includes a live on-campus location map and one-tap release of all phones.
Need statement
Physical-storage approaches (pouches, lockers) impose recurring capital and operational costs and are routinely bypassed with second phones and forced-open bags. A software approach achieves the same policy outcome without hardware procurement, daily collection rituals, or classroom-by-classroom teacher enforcement, and preserves legitimate educational phone use and medical accommodations that blanket storage breaks.
Implementation timeline
| Step | When |
|---|---|
| Contract & kickoff | Week 1 |
| Campus boundary mapping + staff training | ~1 day per school |
| Student onboarding | Days 2–5 |
| Full launch | within 1 week of kickoff |
Budget language
Software subscription: LockedIn, per-student-per-year, per vendor written quote (attached). No hardware line item required. Evaluation reporting is included via the admin dashboard at no additional cost.
Privacy & compliance
LockedIn installs no MDM profile and collects no texts, calls, photos, or browsing data. Compliant with COPPA, SOPIPA, and FERPA; data stored in the United States.
Current funding opportunities
| Program | Who’s eligible | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BJA STOP School Violence Program — FY2026 | School districts (up to $1 million) and states (up to $2 million) | Oct 30, 2026 | Open SF-424 due Oct. 30 on Grants.gov; the full application is due Nov. 6 in JustGrants. |
| New Jersey Phone-Free Schools Grant — Round 2 | NJ school districts | To be announced | Awaiting announcement NJDOE said it intends to run another round after announcing Round 1 awards on Dec. 18, 2025. |
| Pennsylvania school safety / phone-policy funding (post-SB 1014) | PA school districts, intermediate units, CTCs and charter schools | See program page | Passed legislature Oct 2026; implementation funding varies by program SB 1014 went to the Governor Oct. 22, 2026 and carries no funding of its own. PCCD’s 2026–27 School Safety & Mental Health Grants closed Oct. 16, 2026. |
| Federal Supporting Focus in Schools Act (S.5636) | US districts (if enacted/funded) | Not yet open | Introduced Sept 30, 2026 Introduced by Sen. Ruben Gallego and referred to the Senate HELP Committee. |
| Federal UNPLUGGED Schools Grant Act (S.5620 / H.R.4005) | States with a statewide school device policy (if enacted/funded) | Not yet open | Introduced S.5620 introduced Sept. 30, 2026 (Sen. Mark Kelly, with Sen. Tom Cotton); H.R.4005 introduced June 12, 2025. |
| Delaware School Cellphone Pilot Program — FY26 | Delaware LEAs serving grades 6–12 | Nov 4, 2025 | Closed FY27 funding hasn’t been announced. |
| Massachusetts Cell Phone-Free Schools Grant (DESE FC 9610) — FY27 | MA public districts, charter schools and collaboratives | Oct 21, 2026 | Closed Funds run through June 30, 2027, with possible continuation in FY28–FY30. |
| Massachusetts Phone Free Schools Support Grant | MA public and charter districts, educational collaboratives and some nonprofits | Jun 5, 2026 | Closed |
| New York Distraction-Free Schools funding — FY2026 | NY districts, charter schools and BOCES serving grades 7–12 | Aug 1, 2025 | Closed One-time state budget funding; no FY2027 round has been announced. |
| Oklahoma Cellphone-Free Schools Grant Program — 2025–26 | Oklahoma districts that adopt a bell-to-bell policy for three years | 2025–26 school year | Closed No 2026–27 round has been announced. |
| Texas Phone Free Schools Grant Program — 2025–2026 | Texas ISDs and open-enrollment charter schools | Feb 18, 2026 | Closed No 2026–27 cycle has been announced. |
Deadlines change — email hello@lockedinapp.co and we’ll confirm the current window for your state.
How it works
- 1
Tell us the grant and your enrollment.
Use the form below, or email hello@lockedinapp.co.
- 2
We send a vendor support letter and written per-student quote within one business day.
Both made out to your school or district and the program you’re applying to.
- 3
Paste the language above into your application.
If funded, setup takes about a day and you launch within a week.
Request your support letter and quote.
We reply within one business day with a vendor support letter and a written per-student quote.
Grant questions.
Frequently asked questions
Does LockedIn require buying hardware?
No — students use their own phones; no pouches, lockers, or bins.
Is LockedIn an eligible grant cost?
It’s a software subscription plus implementation/training, which most phone-free and school-safety programs cover under policy implementation, training, or technology. We’ll confirm against your program’s eligible-cost list before you apply.
How fast can we launch if funded?
Setup ~1 day per school; launch within a week.
What about student privacy?
No MDM profile; no texts, calls, photos, or browsing collected; COPPA/SOPIPA/FERPA; US data storage.