Idaho School Cell Phone Law (S 1032): What It Requires

Yes. Idaho has a statewide law on student phones in school. Idaho's 2025 law (S 1032) required every school board and public charter school to adopt a policy limiting student phone use by Dec 31, 2025. Policies must keep device use as limited as possible during school hours; a full ban is not required.

What S 1032 requires

• • Every local school board and public charter school had to adopt a student device policy by Dec 31, 2025
• • The policy must emphasize that student device use be as limited as possible in school buildings and on school grounds during school hours
• • The policy must reduce device distractions in classrooms during school hours
• • The policy must specify disciplinary measures for violations
• • The policy must be publicly available and displayed prominently on the public website

The emergency wording for every state, D.C. and Puerto Rico is in school phone ban emergency exceptions by state.

The key provision, verbatim

“Emphasize that student use of electronic communications devices be as limited as possible in school buildings and on school grounds or premises during school hours”

Source: Idaho Code § 33-6802(1)(a)

Timeline

1. October 31, 2024Gov. Brad Little issues Executive Order 2024-11 encouraging district policies, with $5,000 awards
2. March 13, 2025Gov. Little signs S 1032 (Session Laws ch. 55)
3. July 1, 2025Idaho Code §§ 33-6801–6802 take effect
4. December 31, 2025Deadline for every school board and public charter school to adopt a policy

Where phones must be kept

Idaho Code § 33-6802 does not require storage; a board may bar students from carrying devices, and the law deems that policy compliant.

Some schools back a written policy with phone-management software such as LockedIn: students' own phones lock automatically on campus during school hours and unlock after school, with no pouches or hardware; the admin dashboard flags workarounds by student name, such as a possible uninstall or a new device awaiting approval; and in an emergency, one tap from an administrator starts Emergency Mode on every phone on campus. Software does not replace the policy S 1032 requires, and it should be set up around the exceptions the law lists; have counsel review any tool that handles student device data.

Checklist for Idaho administrators

1. Confirm your board or charter adopted a policy (deadline Dec 31, 2025)
2. Check that it emphasizes keeping device use as limited as possible during school hours and reduces classroom distractions
3. Make sure the policy states disciplinary measures for violations
4. Post the policy prominently on your public website
5. Write any exceptions, such as IEP accommodations, into the policy