JCPS Cell Phone Policy: Jefferson County Public Schools, 2026–27

JCPS phone policy at a glance

Policy

Board Policy 09.4261 (telecommunication devices), under KRS 158.165, printed in the 2026–27 Student Support and Behavior Intervention Handbook

Adopted

Board vote on May 13, 2025 (6–1) for an all-day ban starting in 2025–26, as reported by WAVE News

Hours

The entire school day on school property, except in an emergency

Devices

Phones, smartwatches, personal tablets, pagers, walkie-talkies, headphones, MP3 players, gaming systems and similar devices

Exceptions

Emergencies; use authorized under IDEA, the ADA or Section 504; written authorization from a licensed medical provider to monitor or respond to a medical condition

Confiscation

An administrator may take the device, including its SIM card and battery; it goes back to the parent, guardian or student by the end of that school day

Behavior level

Listed at Levels 1–2 of the handbook’s four levels; each school sets progressive consequences

Last verified Oct. 12, 2026 against the district’s published policy and the state law it cites. Sources are listed at the end of this page.

What the JCPS policy says

The handbook states the rule plainly: students “shall not use/activate and/or display a personal telecommunication device on school property during the entirety of the school day, except during an emergency.” Outside the instructional school day, students may have and use their devices, provided they don’t use them disruptively, keep track of them (the district isn’t responsible for loss or theft), follow any extra rules their school sets, and stay within the district’s Acceptable Use Policy.

When a student breaks the rule, an administrator may confiscate the device and must return it by the end of that school day. JCPS lets each school set the progressive consequences for repeat offenses, so a second or third violation can be handled differently from school to school.

How the first year went

The 2025–26 school year was the first under the all-day rule. According to district records obtained by Spectrum News, JCPS issued 30,562 referrals for phone violations that year, about double the year before, and most led to a student conference. The district’s internal audit director presented a first-year review to the board in July 2026 and suggested the district reconsider leaving enforcement to each school.

How it fits Kentucky law

Kentucky’s HB 208 (2025 Ky. Acts ch. 90) amended KRS 158.165 to require every district to prohibit student use of personal telecommunication devices at least during instructional time, with exceptions. JCPS went further than that minimum. According to WAVE News, the board chose the strictest of three options it considered in 2025, the one covering the whole school day, including lunch and class changes.

More detail is in our guide to Kentucky’s school phone law and the phone-free school laws by state directory.