Florida’s largest school districts began enforcing a new state law this week that bars elementary and middle-school students from using mobile phones at any point during the school day. Palm Beach County Superintendent Mike Burke said devices that appear outside emergencies or special-education plans will be confiscated, while Miami-Dade officials issued similar guidance as classes reopened on Thursday. High-schoolers may still use phones outside instructional time at the districts’ discretion. In Massachusetts, lawmakers are weighing a bill that would impose a uniform cellphone ban across the state’s public schools. Boston Public Schools currently require phones to remain out of sight during class, and several campuses have adopted Yondr pouches that lock devices until dismissal. During a legislative hearing, students and educators offered diverging views on whether a bell-to-bell ban would curb distractions or hinder emergency communication. The push to limit classroom screen time is also gathering pace abroad. Chile’s Senate Education Committee this week approved legislation that would forbid phones for pupils up to sixth grade and restrict their use through high school. Supporters cited data showing almost 70 percent of Chilean children aged 5–12 already own a handset and spend more than four hours a day on it, warning of potential mental-health risks. Taken together, the moves reflect a growing international effort to curtail cellphone use during school hours as administrators and legislators seek to improve student focus and well-being.