I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8993 
To direct the Secretary of Education to conduct a study regarding the 
use of mobile devices in elementary and secondary schools, and to estab-
lish a pilot program of awarding grants to enable certain schools to 
create a school environment free of mobile devices. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 10, 2024 
Mr. WESTERMAN (for himself, Mr. TRONE, Mr. LATURNER, and Mr. CROW) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Education to conduct a study 
regarding the use of mobile devices in elementary and 
secondary schools, and to establish a pilot program of 
awarding grants to enable certain schools to create a 
school environment free of mobile devices. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Focus on Learning 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘child with a 
disability’’, ‘‘elementary school’’, ‘‘English learner’’, 
‘‘local educational agency’’, and ‘‘secondary school’’ 
have the meaning given those terms in section 8101 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(2) MOBILE
DEVICE.—The term ‘‘mobile de-
vice’’ means any personal mobile telephone or other 
portable electronic communication device with which 
a user engages in a call or writes or sends a message 
or any device in which the user plays a game or 
watches a video, except that such term does not in-
clude school-issued devices. 
(3) SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FREE OF MOBILE 
DEVICES.—The term ‘‘school environment free of 
mobile devices’’ means an elementary school or sec-
ondary school in which mobile devices of students 
are kept in a secure container that is controlled by 
a school administrator. 
(4) SCHOOL HOURS.—The term ‘‘school hours’’ 
means regular school hours for instruction, including 
lunch periods, free periods on school grounds, and 
time between classroom instruction. 
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SEC. 3. STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, shall complete a study regarding the use of mo-
bile devices in elementary schools and secondary schools 
nationwide, including— 
(1) the impact of such use on— 
(A) student learning and academic achieve-
ment; 
(B) student educational outcomes and en-
gagement; 
(C) student mental health; 
(D) classroom instruction; and 
(E) school climate and student behavior; 
and 
(2) an analysis of data collected from partici-
pating schools in the pilot program under section 4. 
(b) REPORT.—The Secretary of Education, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices, shall submit a report to Congress containing the re-
sults of the study conducted under subsection (a), and 
shall make such report publicly available. 
SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) PROGRAM
ESTABLISHED.—The Secretary of 
Education shall establish a pilot program, through which 
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the Secretary of Education shall award grants to local 
educational agencies to enable participating schools served 
by such agencies (referred to in this section as ‘‘partici-
pating schools’’) to purchase secure containers and install 
lockers in order to create a school environment free of mo-
bile devices. 
(b) APPLICATION.—A local educational agency desir-
ing to participate in the program under this section shall 
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may reasonably require, including— 
(1) an assurance that such local educational 
agency will identify and select participating schools 
in a manner that engages the students, parents, 
educators, principal, school leaders, and specialized 
instructional support personnel, of such schools; 
(2) an assurance that each participating school 
will have a communication system (which may be 
mobile devices) allowing teachers, administrators, 
and staff to communicate with each other and with 
local emergency responders; 
(3) an assurance that each participating school 
will have a clear process for students to be able to 
contact their parents; 
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(4) the policy of each participating school on 
mobile device use during school hours as of the date 
of the application; and 
(5) a description of what each participating 
school’s new policy on mobile device use during 
school hours will be upon beginning participation in 
the pilot program under this section. 
(c) SELECTION.—The Secretary of Education shall 
select local educational agency applicants for participation 
in the pilot program based on the Secretary of Education’s 
determination that the applicant’s participation will likely 
yield helpful information relevant to testing a school envi-
ronment free of mobile devices. 
(d) EXEMPTIONS.—Participating schools may, while 
maintaining a school environment free of mobile devices, 
allow exemptions such that mobile devices may be used 
during school hours— 
(1) to monitor or treat health conditions; 
(2) by students who are children with disabil-
ities; and 
(3) by students who are English learners for 
translation purposes. 
(e) PARENTAL
NOTIFICATION.—Each local edu-
cational agency that applies for participation in the pilot 
program under this section shall— 
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