Warren County School District Cell Phone Policy (2026)

Warren County School District enrolled 3,796 students in 2024-25 according to federal data. Its board weighed a full bell-to-bell draft against a looser one before adopting a split by grade.

Warren County phone rules today

The Times Observer reported in September 2026 that the board unanimously approved Policy 9951, "Student Use of Electronic Devices." Under the approach discussed, students in K-8 may not have phones out or accessible during the school day, and high school students get more flexibility with limited exceptions.

"For K to 8, there's no phones. Period," Superintendent Gary Weber said. He noted high schoolers may need phones for things like two-factor authentication, and said the policy gives administrators "the teeth to be able to enforce it."

Before the vote, the district posted two draft procedures. The bell-to-bell draft barred use from the start of first period to the end of last period, including homeroom, study halls, breakfast, lunch and passing time, and set a ladder: a warning, then 5, 10 and 20 school days of checking the phone into the office, then a hearing and no device at school for the rest of the year. The other draft allowed use at breakfast, lunch and between classes. Which procedure applies to high school is not yet published.

The debate

In August 2026, board member John Wortman asked whether phones would be left home, kept in lockers or secured all day, noting students coordinate work, rides and activities. Bridget Schwab raised students who use phones for virtual courses in study halls. After the vote, Misty Moore said, "I still feel that there is a lot of gray area." Weber said, "It's really about the distraction."

What Act 117 requires of Warren County by 2027-28

Gov. Josh Shapiro approved SB 1014 on October 26, 2026. It is Act 117 of 2026, and it took effect that day. The text is Printer's No. 1697 on palegis.us. Every school entity must adopt a bell-to-bell policy by the start of the 2027-28 school year.

Act 117 requires	Warren County today	What changes by 2027-28
No student use for the whole school day, including homeroom, lunch, recess and passing time	K-8 no phones; HS more flexibility	High school use must end at lunch and passing time.
The board decides how possession is restricted (taking phones is not required)	Not settled; drafts described office check-in after violations	State how possession is restricted all day.
Required exceptions: documented medical need of the student or an immediate family member, IEP or 504, English learner translation, limited teacher-approved instructional use	Drafts: urgent documented health condition, IEP	Add English learner translation and an immediate family member's medical need.
Optional: a principal may approve another exception for up to one school day, with notice to the superintendent within 5 days after	Limited HS exceptions, such as two-factor login	Teacher use must meet Act 117's three conditions; other exceptions capped at one day. Two-factor login on a phone needs counsel review.
Written notice each year and on enrollment: a staffed way to reach your child, and how to sign up for emergency notifications	Procedures to address school-day communication	Written notice each year and on enrollment of a staffed contact method and emergency sign-up.
Tell families, teachers and students about the policy each year; verify to PDE within 5 business days that it is posted online	Policy 9951 adopted Sept. 2026	Board policy posted, announced each year and verified to PDE.

Where LockedIn fits

Warren County already holds K-8 to no phones. LockedIn locks students' own phones from an admin dashboard with nothing to collect, so high schoolers can keep phones for rides and work after school while the day stays locked, and the office does not have to hold phones for weeks.

Act 117 has no general student emergency-use exception. The closest tool is the optional principal exception, which is capped at one school day and reported to the superintendent within five days afterward. LockedIn's Emergency Mode unlocks every phone on campus at once, so districts should have counsel review how that fits their emergency procedures and Act 117's exception rules.

Private and independent schools in Warren

Act 117's definition of "school entity" includes private schools, approved private schools and nonpublic schools, so Warren's private, independent and parochial schools need their own bell-to-bell policy by 2027-28. For those schools, the governing body plays the role the superintendent plays in a district, including receiving notice of any principal-approved exception.

Draft a policy that tracks Act 117's required exceptions and family notices with our policy generator.