On Monday, January 5th, 2026, students returned to school from winter break, noticing a significant change in school policy. For the entire school day, students were not allowed to use their personal devices, even during non-instructional time.
“It took a while to get used to the changes,” student Ty Arnold said. “I usually listen to music to help me focus, but I wasn’t allowed to do that anymore.”
The Loudoun County school board approved an updated Policy 8655 on December 16th, 2025. This revised policy aligned county policies regarding personal technology more accurately with the new Virginia State Law, which banned all personal devices during the school day. The new policy clearly states that from the arrival bell to the dismissal bell, all internet-connected devices not issued by LCPS must be turned off and stored away by students.
“These include laptops, Macs, smart watches, AirPods, and any device that connects to the internet and was not issued by LCPS,” Superintendent Aaron Spence wrote in a statement. “Students may need reminders or even warnings to remove and stow their personal technology until this new behavior becomes a habit.”
However, the school board didn’t choose to make this decision out of the blue. A request for public comment was sent out to parents and students in September 2025. The policy went through multiple revisions from various LCPS advisory committees in October and November, and the final revision was designated as an action item in December. Out of the nine school board members, six approved the policy, two abstained from voting, and one opposed it.
“While I understand and respect the thought behind this policy, we are forgetting that kids will always find a way to use technology to their advantage,” one LCPS employee wrote in the request for comment. “Instead of taking all devices, let’s teach them how to be responsible and give schools more ability to discipline noncompliance. Giving teachers one more thing to worry about just means this policy will fail.”
Even though the state ban passed in mid-2025, LCPS had decided to implement its own version of this policy until January 2026. The previous policy had required students not have their personal device “on their person” by keeping them in phone holders during instructional time. However, students frequently circumvented this policy through various methods. Concerns with the existing system forced the county to accelerate its compliance with the new state law.
“I believe that there are bigger issues than our phones to fix,” student Maddie Choi said. “However, I see where the school board is coming from with the policy. Phones were a distraction for students, but people are now more focused on the ban than they are with learning.”
Students had to adjust to these changes quickly, as the ban wasn’t limited to cell phones alone. Staff members were now asked by the county to reprimand students for having their phones out in the hallways or during lunch. John Champe administrators gave students some time to adjust to the policy during the first week back from break, but disciplinary consequences increased in the weeks following.
“I feel like the enforcement of the phone rule on my part has lifted a little bit more because I’m no longer trying to actively collect students’ phones,” teacher Ryann Perriello said. “Students are being held accountable for their own actions and are learning self-control.”
