Pennsylvania Schools Face a Bell-to-Bell Phone Ban. The NuKase Lockable Phone Case Is Already in Pennsylvania Classrooms

Schools have until 2027-28 to adopt phone-free policies. NuGerm is shipping NuKase and offering samples to Pennsylvania schools now.

PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, October 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Pennsylvania lawmakers this week passed legislation requiring bell-to-bell phone-free policies in the state’s schools. NuGerm today announced that its NuKase lockable phone case, built specifically for K-12 schools, is ready to ship to Pennsylvania schools, with samples available now.

The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday, two days after the House, and it now goes to Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has voiced support. By the start of the 2027-28 school year, school districts, charter and cyber charter schools, career and technical schools, intermediate units, and private schools must adopt policies prohibiting student cellphone use throughout the school day, including recess, homeroom, lunch, and time between classes.

The bill allows exceptions, including for students or immediate family members with certain medical conditions, English learners who use a phone for translation, special occasions such as field days and science fairs, and students with individualized education plans who need a personal device. Districts set their own policies.

The hardest part of any phone-free policy is enforcing it every day without adding to teachers’ workload. The NuKase is designed to address that problem. Students keep their phones with them, locked in a frosted case that obscures the screen, and unlock them at the end of the day at a nearby station, so staff don’t have to open each case. NuKase helps schools put a bell-to-bell policy into practice: phones stay locked from the first bell to the last.

“We have had a bell-to-bell ban for a year now, and utilize the NuKase to enforce it.” said Principal Wilson at Philadelphia City High School. “The NuKase has taken enforcing the policy out of the hands of teachers and resulted in fewer classroom interruptions.”

NuKase is built for the school day:

Fast to unlock: Each case unlocks in 2 to 3 seconds at a nearby station, with no need for staff to open each case.
Durable: The polycarbonate case is built to hold up to drops and everyday wear, and it comes with a 3-year warranty.
Fits what students carry: It fits all phone sizes and nearly any phone case, and an XL size adds room for earbuds and watches.
Predictable cost: NuKase is a one-time purchase with no subscription fees, and pricing is discounted by volume.
Medical exemption case: NuGerm has a case for students with medical exemptions. It allows for emergency unlocking and partial-phone access.

Growing support for phone-free schools

Once the bill is signed, Pennsylvania will join 40 states that restrict cellphone use in schools, according to CBS News, including 19 with bell-to-bell bans. In a Pew Research Center survey of 9,750 U.S. adults conducted May 26-June 1, 2026, 48 percent said they support all-day, bell-to-bell cellphone bans for middle and high school students, up from 36 percent in 2024, versus 43 percent opposed. Support for in-class bans reached 77 percent.

A 2026 National Bureau of Economic Research study of more than 43,000 middle and high schools found that where schools adopted lockable phone storage, phone use on campus dropped sharply and stayed down, and teachers reported fewer distractions. The study also found modest math gains in high schools, test score improvements in the second year of enforcement, and student well-being that improved the longer policies stayed in place.

Samples available now

Pennsylvania schools can request a NuKase sample to evaluate in their own buildings before the 2027-28 deadline. NuGerm is a member of the PEPPM and TIPS cooperative purchasing programs and can support schools with quotes and procurement documentation.

About NuGerm
NuGerm, based in South Florida, is the company behind NuKase, a phone-control solution built for K-12 schools and used in courthouses and other settings where phones need to stay put. Learn more at nugerm.com.

James Koch
NuKase by NuGerm
+1 561-462-2041

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