Gov. Ivey signs FOCUS Act into law

Governor Kay Ivey signed the FOCUS Act into law Wednesday./Source: Office of Governor Kay Ivey

Governor Kay Ivey has signed the FOCUS Act into law.

The FOCUS Act prohibits students use of smart phones and other wireless devices inside Alabama’s public schools.

“Smart phones have beneficial roles when used in proper settings,” said Governor Ivey. “However, these often-disruptive devices have no place in our classrooms during the school day except for educational purposes or during an emergency.  The FOCUS Act will enable students to ‘focus’ on learning while in school rather than on their phones.”

In addition, the act requires each local board of education to adopt an internet safety policy that addresses student access to the internet on district-owned devices, and requires students to receive instruction on the risks and benefits of social media and how to use social media safely prior to entering the eighth grade.

Governor Ivey was joined by the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Leigh Hulsey and Sen. Donnie Chesteen, as well as staff and students from Pike Road Schools.

Pike Road Junior High currently has a pouch policy for their cell phones and credits the students’ success to that policy.

“The truth is this isn’t just about a law, it’s about what happens when students and teachers are given the space and focus to grow.” said Principal Christy Wright. “We’ve seen a clear shift in our school culture: more engagement, deeper connections, and a greater sense of community. But the impact hasn’t just been social, it’s also academic. I am incredibly proud to share that our eighth-grade learners recently took the PSAT 8/9, and the results came in just yesterday. Not only did our school reach our growth target of a 60-point increase, we exceeded it with a 95-point gain. Even more impressively, our scores are 39 points above the national average. That is an extraordinary accomplishment.”

The bill goes into effect at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.