WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 13, 2026 – Leading child safety and well-being organizations, The Anxious Generation Movement, Smartphone Free Childhood US, Institute for Families and Technology, and Becca Schmill Foundation, announced today that Oklahoma’s new law retains the state’s “B” grade on the Phone-Free Schools State Report Card.
HB 1267, sponsored by State Representative Chad Caldwell (R-OK) and signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt (R-OK), permanently extends the state’s one-year bell-to-bell policy that was set to expire at the end of the 2025- 2026 school year. Previous law would have made the ban optional - not mandatory - starting next school year. Oklahoma remains at a “B” grade as the new law does not mandate that phones must be stored in inaccessible locations during the school day.
“The positive feedback from Oklahoma schools was clear and lawmakers listened - distraction-free learning should not be optional,” said Deb Schmill, founder of the Becca Schmill Foundation. “We encourage lawmakers to continue advancing these efforts by incorporating inaccessible storage requirements that reduce the temptation of personal devices and help create healthier, more focused classrooms for every student.”
“There is no better endorsement of a bell-to-bell policy than state legislators voting to continue it indefinitely,” said Emily Rapp, director of policy for the Institute for Families and Technology. “We’re grateful to Rep. Chad Caldwell and Sen. Ally Seifried for their leadership in ensuring all of Oklahoma’s students receive the benefits of a permanent bell-to-bell ban.”
Under the Report Card’s criteria, an “A” grade is awarded when legislation requires all personal electronic devices to be stored in secure, inaccessible locations from bell-to-bell. Bell-to-bell policies are proven to enhance academic performance, improve students’ mental and physical health, increase teacher satisfaction, protect student safety and privacy, and deepen school community relationships.
More information about Oklahoma’s grade can be found here.
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About the Phone-Free Schools State Report Card
Launched in 2026, the Phone-Free Schools State Report Card is published by leading child safety and well-being organizations, including The Anxious Generation Movement, Smartphone Free Childhood US, Institute for Families and Technology, and Becca Schmill Foundation. The report evaluates whether the laws in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. meet the gold standard for phone-free schools: policies requiring all students to store their personal electronic devices in secure, inaccessible locations for the entire school day (bell-to-bell).