Stand for Children Colorado Executive Director Krista Spurgin has an op-ed in the Denver Post making the case for bell-to-bell cell phone policies in Colorado schools.
Every school district in Colorado must adopt a cell phone policy by July 1, 2026. Krista’s piece explains why the type of policy matters just as much as having one. Instructional-time-only restrictions feel like a reasonable middle ground, but they leave students with phone access during lunch and passing periods, where distraction, social conflict, and addictive algorithms continue to cause harm.
Bell-to-bell policies, phones off and away for the entire school day, produce real results. Schools that have adopted them report more instructional time, fewer behavioral disruptions, and stronger peer relationships. A ninth grader in Boulder Valley, where schools went bell-to-bell in January 2025, told us her mental health, focus, and friendships have all improved.
The July 1 deadline is close. Read Krista’s full op-ed in the Denver Post and then visit our action center to see what you can do.
