A bill passed by Oklahoma legislature last May has forced Sapulpa Schools to come up with a new policy regarding cell phones that they’re calling “Bell-to-bell, no cell.” The policy is aimed at reducing cellphone usage in classrooms in order to help students focus on schoolwork and eliminate distractions.
The school released a statement about the new policy in an email that went out to all parents on August 1st. We’ve included the full statement below.
In summary, the new policy says that students are “prohibited from using mobile devices from bell-to-bell, meaning the entire instructional day, at all school sites.” The policy applies to all cell phones, smart watches, tablets, laptops and earbuds, but doesn’t apply to school-issued Chromebooks or educational devices.
There are some exceptions, including medical crisis, natural disaster, or in case of a lockdown. The full list of exceptions is listed below.
Sapulpa Public Schools start classes on August 21st.
Dear parents and guardians,
Effective for the 2025-26 school year in accordance with Oklahoma state law, the Sapulpa Public Schools’ Board of Education approved the “bell-to-bell, no cell policy” prohibiting student cell phone use during school hours.
This policy is required by Senate Bill 139, which was passed by the Oklahoma legislature in May. The law mandates all public schools in the state implement policies restricting student cell phone usage during the school day for the 2025-26 school year.
Here is what you need to know:
- Students are prohibited from using mobile devices from bell-to-bell, meaning the entire instructional day, at all school sites.
- Devices include cell phones, smart watches, tablets, laptops, earbuds or other devices not issued by the school.
- School-issued Chromebooks and devices for educational purposes are permitted.
There are some exceptions to this policy, including:
- Emergency use such as a medical crisis, natural disaster or lockdown
- Use of cell phones or other electronic devices to monitor health issues
- Students with special needs may use cell phones or devices during class time if their IEP, Medical Plan or 504 Plan requires assistive technology
We understand you may have concerns about this policy. Our principals and administrators will discuss it with students on the first day of school. We encourage you as parents and guardians to sit down and discuss this new policy with your students before they head back to school.
We want you to be as informed and prepared as possible once school starts on August 21, and we strive to do our best to ensure a seamless transition into the policy. We look forward to serving your students in just a few weeks. Back to school information can be found on sapulpaps.org/backtoschool.
