Florida's HB 379 (2023), expanded by HB 1105 (2025), restricts student cell phone use during instructional time and blocks social media on school networks. Many Florida districts now go bell-to-bell. Here's the full compliance picture.
Florida was one of the first states to take decisive action on student phone use. HB 379, signed into law in 2023, prohibits student cell phone use during instructional time and requires school districts to block student access to social media on school Wi-Fi networks. Here's what Florida administrators need to know for 2026.
What Florida's Phone-Free School Laws Require
Florida's framework now combines HB 379 (2023) — the original statute — with HB 1105 (2025), which tightens enforcement and expands scope. Together they require:
- • Students may not use cell phones during instructional time at minimum
- • School districts must block social media access on school networks
- • Districts must designate storage areas for student devices
- • Districts have flexibility in determining enforcement methods
- • Schools must provide exceptions for medical needs and documented emergencies
- • Many Florida districts have voluntarily extended to bell-to-bell coverage
Going Beyond Minimum Compliance
While HB 379 focuses on instructional time, many Florida districts — including Hillsborough, Orange County, and Broward — have expanded their policies to cover the entire school day, including lunch and passing periods. The research supports this: phones cause distraction and social harm during all school hours, not just class time.
For districts choosing comprehensive enforcement, LockedIn provides the ideal solution. Campus geofencing automatically enforces the policy during the entire school day, with custom schedules that can distinguish between instructional time and non-instructional periods if your district requires it.
Best Enforcement Solutions for Florida Schools
Florida's law gives districts flexibility in enforcement. The most effective approach combines network-level restrictions (blocking social media on school Wi-Fi) with device-level enforcement (ensuring students can't use cellular data to access their phones during school hours).
LockedIn is the top choice for Florida schools because it enforces at the device level — regardless of whether students are on school Wi-Fi or cellular data. The real-time dashboard and automated compliance reports provide the documentation Florida districts need to demonstrate enforcement.
See our complete phone-free school laws by state directory for legislation updates across all 50 states.
Get Started
Florida schools can be phone-free by tomorrow. Get started with LockedIn and see how automated enforcement transforms your school.