The Baltimore City school board voted to ban cellphones during the school day beginning next school year, enacting one of the toughest policies in the region.

Students will not be allowed to look at their phones between the first and last bell of the day, nor in hallways between classes, during lunch or at recess.

Phones will have to be powered off and secured in a locker or in a central area of the school for middle schoolers.

High school students would have to secure phones in their lockers. The rule would apply to smartwatches, too.

The board took the action on Tuesday night after about 20 schools successfully piloted bans during the first half of the school year.

In surveys, city students said they dislike being separated from their phones, but their mental health had improved, as well as their grades.

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of the Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.