Phone-Free Schools in Denver: DPS Cell Phone Policy
Denver Public Schools serves about 88,000 students in Denver, Colorado. Colorado’s phone-free school law, HB 25-1135, has been in effect since August 6, 2025.
- Location
- Denver, Colorado
- Denver County
- Enrollment
- About 88,000 students
- Denver area
Denver Public Schools is a public school district headquartered in Denver, Colorado (Denver County), serving approximately 88,000 students across the Denver area. Like every district in Colorado, its cell phone rules are shaped by state law — and by how well the policy is actually enforced on each campus.
Does DPS ban cell phones?
Yes. Colorado law (HB 25-1135 (2025)) requires districts to restrict student personal-device use (district-determined; each policy must state its possession and use rules for the school day), so the district must have a written phone policy.
For the full statute, scope, effective date, and primary sources, see our guide to Colorado's phone-free school law, part of our phone-free school laws by state directory.
Enforcing a phone-free day across Denver
Colorado leaves the enforcement method to local districts.
Three enforcement models districts choose from
- Physical pouches (e.g., Yondr): a per-student cost that recurs as pouches are lost or damaged, plus daily hand-out and unlocking at every campus.
- District storage (lockers, caddies, classroom bins): low hardware cost, but it relies on staff to police compliance period after period.
- Device-level software (such as LockedIn): locks the phone students already carry during school hours, with no pouches to hand out.
LockedIn, which publishes this page, makes software that locks students' own phones during the school day, with an admin dashboard and no pouches or hardware. Where a state requires phones to be stored away from students, it works alongside that storage rather than replacing it. Compare the options in our phone-free school solutions comparison or the LockedIn vs. Yondr breakdown, and model the math with our pouch-vs-software cost calculator.
What DPS schools can do next
Draft a policy with our free phone-free school policy generator, or contact our team for a quote. Title I schools in Colorado may also qualify for subsidized access.
Explore other Colorado school districts or browse phone-free school coverage by district.
Frequently asked questions
Does DPS have a cell phone ban?
Yes. Colorado law (HB 25-1135 (2025)) requires districts to restrict student personal-device use (district-determined; each policy must state its possession and use rules for the school day), so the district must have a written phone policy.
What is Colorado's school cell phone law?
Colorado required every school district and charter school to adopt, implement and post a student phone policy by July 1, 2026. The law sets required exceptions but leaves scope to each board; it also covers the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind. See our full Colorado guide for the statute, scope, effective date, and exceptions.
How can Denver-area schools enforce a phone-free day?
Schools generally choose physical pouches (like Yondr), district-managed storage, or device-level software like LockedIn that locks the phone students already carry during school hours. Each district picks the method; check DPS's student handbook for the one it uses.
How much does LockedIn cost for a district like DPS?
LockedIn is priced per student, per year, and quoted per school or district based on enrollment and rollout — there are no pouches or hardware to buy and no per-unit replacement costs. Contact us for a written quote and a side-by-side comparison against a pouch program. Qualifying Title I schools may receive subsidized or fully covered access.