Phone-Free Schools in Memphis: MSCS Cell Phone Policy
Memphis-Shelby County Schools serves about 110,000 students in Memphis, Tennessee. Tennessee’s phone-free school law has been in effect since July 1, 2025.
- Location
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Shelby County
- Enrollment
- About 110,000 students
- Memphis area
Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the largest school district in Tennessee, is a public school district headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee (Shelby County), serving approximately 110,000 students across the Memphis area. Like every district in Tennessee, its cell phone rules are shaped by state law — and by how well the policy is actually enforced on each campus.
Does MSCS ban cell phones?
Yes. Tennessee law (HB 932 / SB 897 (2025)) requires districts to restrict student personal-device use (instructional time (minimum rule)), so the district must have a written phone policy.
For the full statute, scope, effective date, and primary sources, see our guide to Tennessee's phone-free school law, part of our phone-free school laws by state directory.
Enforcing a phone-free day across Memphis
Tennessee 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 MSCS 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 Tennessee may also qualify for subsidized access.
Explore other Tennessee school districts or browse phone-free school coverage by district.
Frequently asked questions
Does MSCS have a cell phone ban?
Yes. Tennessee law (HB 932 / SB 897 (2025)) requires districts to restrict student personal-device use (instructional time (minimum rule)), so the district must have a written phone policy.
What is Tennessee's school cell phone law?
Tennessee requires every local board of education and public charter school to ban student wireless-device use during instructional time. Policies must include set exceptions and be posted online. See our full Tennessee guide for the statute, scope, effective date, and exceptions.
How can Memphis-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 MSCS's student handbook for the one it uses.
How much does LockedIn cost for a district like MSCS?
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.