New Mexico phone-free school law (2026): New Mexico requires every district and charter to adopt and implement a wireless-communication-device policy with state PED guidelines. Here's what administrators need to know about compliance, scope, and enforcement.
New Mexico has enacted a statewide phone-free school law. Under SB 11 (2025) — Anti-Distraction Policy — signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham 2025-04-10 — every district must adopt a policy restricting student personal-device use during instructional time. The law takes effect 2025–26 school year, and many New Mexico districts are choosing to extend their policies bell-to-bell.
What New Mexico's Phone-Free School Law Requires
- • Statute: SB 11 (Anti-Distraction Policy), signed April 10, 2025
- • PED issued model policy guidelines summer 2025
- • Districts and charters must adopt local policies
- • Scope and storage set locally
- • Effective: 2025–26 school year
How New Mexico Schools Comply
New Mexico'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 New Mexico schools choose LockedIn
LockedIn is a software-based phone-free campus solution built for New Mexico's schools. It provides
OS-level device locking,
campus geofencing, real-time monitoring, and automated compliance reports — exactly what New Mexico 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.
Verify the law in New Mexico
Read the primary source — SB 11 (2025) — Anti-Distraction Policy — 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
New Mexico 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.