Starting next school year, Denver students will not be able to use their cellphones during school hours.

The Denver Public Schools (DPS) Board of Education unanimously passed a “bell-to-bell” ban Monday after a third reading.

“Policies like this succeed not because of enforcement alone, but because people trust the adults implementing them,” Director DJ Torres said, reading from a prepared statement.

The ban drew wide support from the community committee tasked with creating a policy, with 100% of members agreeing there should be no smartphones, watches, ear buds (that connect to a cellphone), or non-school-issued computers or tablets used during school hours.

“Students also acknowledged that putting phones away only for instructional time, which is the current approach in most of our high schools that do have policies, doesn’t actually work due to inconsistent enforcement,” Sarah Almy Moore, a committee member, has said.

The committee also recommended adequate and secure storage be provided since the ban prohibits student use while on school property.

The district does not yet have a cost estimate for implementing the ban.

Scott Pribble, a district spokesperson, said previously that, after the ban is approved, Superintendent Alex Marrero will decide its implementation and cost.

In adopting the policy, the state’s largest school district is following the path others have blazed in other districts.

Boulder Valley, Colorado Springs District 11 and Cherry Creek have adopted varying restrictions on student cellphone use, though policies differ on whether students may access devices during lunch or between class.

A new state law requires school districts to adopt a cellphone policy before July 1. The policy must describe any prohibitions and exceptions, if any, for student use during the school day.

Supporters of cellphone restrictions have argued that constant access to smartphones contributes to classroom distractions, cyberbullying and mental health concerns, while making it more difficult for students to focus on instruction.

Opponents have raised concerns about parent communication and student safety during emergencies.

Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora implemented its bell-to-bell ban two years ago.

“The lack of focus was palpable,” said Jimmy Tricco, principal of Regis Jesuit.

Tricco said the ban was implemented to reinforce the school’s values.

“We didn’t feel like our kids were caring for themselves or others when they were addicted to their phones,” Tricco said.

Founded in 1877, Regis Jesuit is a private Catholic, college-prep school with a unique co-divisional model, in which students attend classes in a primarily single-sex environment on a shared campus.

More than 1,600 students attend Regis Jesuit.

Bans have been proliferating in districts across the United States.

Mounting evidence shows that cellphones can take a toll on students’ mental health and their ability to focus in the classroom.

Roughly three in every four U.S. schools had a cellphone ban in 2020, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Educators and the unions that represent them have long advocated for stronger and more uniform approaches that allow for more time teaching and less time policing students’ cellphone use.

Some experts worried about their effect on school culture have urged leaders not to implement overly restrictive policies.

In the first few weeks of implementation, Tricco said, officials at Regis Jesuit confiscated fewer than two dozen cellphones.

He had imagined it would be more.

“The kids learned pretty quickly that this is something we’re serious about,” Tricco said.

Violators face escalating consequences — up to expulsion, Tricco said.

While Regis Jesuit does not store student cellphones, the devices must remain out of sight during the school day. If necessary, students may use their phone in the main office in the presence of school administrators.

Students were reluctant to give up their devices — as a DPS survey shows in Denver. But once put away, Tricco said, students now acknowledge the benefits.

By all accounts, the ban accomplished what Tricco had hoped: greater interaction among students.

“I wish I had bought stock in hacky sacks,” Tricco said.

Now when he crosses the courtyard, students are playing on the lawn. They’re talking to each other and looking one another in the eye — instead of fixing their gaze on a glowing screen.

And teachers are reporting fewer distractions.

The way Tricco sees it, technology can be a force for good or harm. He understands that, when the second bells rings at the end of the day, students live in a digital world and will go home to their technology.

“I’m excited for DPS,” Tricco said. “I think they’re going to see some benefits when cellphones are put away for the school day.”