Delaware phone-free school law (2026): Delaware enacted SB 106 in March 2026, requiring districts to prohibit student personal electronic device use during instructional time, with funding for storage solutions through the DOE pouch pilot. Here's what administrators need to know about compliance, sc
Delaware has enacted a statewide phone-free school law. Under SB 106 (2026) — signed by Gov. Matt Meyer 2026-03-12 — every district must adopt a policy restricting student personal-device use during instructional time. The law takes effect 2026–27 school year, and many Delaware districts are choosing to extend their policies bell-to-bell.
What Delaware's Phone-Free School Law Requires
- • Statute: SB 106 (2026), signed March 12, 2026 by Gov. Matt Meyer
- • Default scope: instructional time; districts may extend bell-to-bell
- • DOE pouch pilot continues with state budget support
- • Districts must adopt implementing policies before 2026–27
- • Standard medical / IEP / 504 / emergency exceptions
How Delaware Schools Comply
Delaware's law gives districts flexibility on how to enforce. The schools that succeed pair a written policy with an enforcement mechanism that doesn't put the burden on teachers — and that produces compliance data when the state asks for it.
Three enforcement models
- • Physical pouches (e.g., Yondr): high per-student cost, daily distribution logistics, and limited compliance data.
- • District storage (lockers, cubbies, classroom caddies): lowest cost but relies on staff to police compliance.
- • Device-level software (LockedIn): OS-level locking, geofencing, and automated compliance reporting — no daily logistics.
Why Delaware schools choose LockedIn
LockedIn is a software-based phone-free campus solution built for Delaware's schools. It provides
OS-level device locking,
campus geofencing, real-time monitoring, and automated compliance reports — exactly what Delaware administrators need to demonstrate that the policy is being enforced. Unlike physical pouches, there's no hardware to lose, replace, or distribute. See our full
comparison of phone-free campus solutions or the
LockedIn vs Yondr pouches guide.
A pilot, not a mandate
Delaware's 2024 budget allocated $250,000 to a Department of Education pouch pilot in select districts. There is no
statewide phone-free statute in effect, and no 2026 statewide bill has advanced. Most Delaware districts that want
consistent enforcement have moved beyond the pilot to district-wide solutions.
Verify the law in Delaware
Read the primary source — SB 106 (2026) — and confirm the latest guidance with your state agency before adopting policy.
See our complete phone-free school laws by state directory for legislation updates across all 50 states + DC.
Get started
Delaware schools can be phone-free in less than a day with LockedIn. Use our free phone-free school policy generator to draft a compliant policy, then contact our team to deploy district-wide.