,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #efcf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #cj1
 #bjbf,mr4 ,gallego introduced the      
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,health1 
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a   
,,bill  ,to establish a grant program to
 support restricting the use of cellular
 phones and other personal electronic   
devices at eligible schools during      
instructional time4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the          
,supporting ,focus in ,schools ,act4    
#b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7    
,,esea terms ,the elementary school and 
secondary school have the meanings given
 the terms in section #haja of the      
,elementary and ,secondary ,education   
,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74    
7#b7 ,eligible school ,the term eligible
 school means an elementary school or   
secondary school that-- 7,a7 receives   
funds under part ,a of title ,i of the  
,elementary and ,secondary ,education   

,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #fcaa et   
seq472 and  7,b7 has a personal         
electronic device policy as described in
 section #c7;b74  7#c7 ,personal        
electronic device  7,a7 ,in ,general    
,subject to subparagraph 7,b71 the term 
personal electronic device1 when used   
with respect to a device possessed or   
used by a student1 includes a laptop or 
desktop computer1 a tablet1 a           
smartphone1 smartwatch1 or other        
cellular phone1 or another similar      
device4  7,b7 ,exception ,the term      
personal electronic device does not     
include a laptop or tablet that-- 7i7 a 
student is authorized by the school of  
the student to use during school hours2 
7ii7 is used by such student only for   
instructional purposes2 and  7iii7 is   
restricted from accessing social media  
platforms1 personal email1 personal     
messaging applications1 texting         
services1 and other non-academic        
applications during school hours4  7#d7 
,secretary ,the term ,secretary means   

the ,secretary of ,education4  #c4      
,grant program established  7a7 ,in     
,general ,the ,secretary shall establish
 a grant program through which the      
,secretary shall award grants1 on a     
competitive basis1 to eligible schools  
to enable those eligible schools to     
carry out activities described in       
subsection 7d7 that support a school ban
 on personal electronic devices in      
accordance with a policy described in   
subsection 7c74  7b7 ,application ,an   
eligible school desiring to receive a   
grant under this ,act shall submit an   
application to the ,secretary at such   
time1 in such manner1 and containing    
such information as the ,secretary may  
reasonably require1 including the       
eligible school's personal electronic   
device policy described in subsection   
7c74  7c7 ,personal electronic device   
policy required ,to be eligible to      
receive a grant under this ,act1 an     
eligible school shall be required to    
have in effect a policy that prohibits  

student use of personal electronic      
devices in the school during school     
instruction hours4 ,such policy shall   
permit exceptions1 as approved by a     
school administrator-- 7#a7 for students
 with health conditions that require the
 use of a mobile phone or other personal
 electronic device as part of a         
treatment or monitoring plan2  7#b7 for 
students with disabilities or special   
needs for whom access to a mobile phone 
or other personal electronic device is--
 7,a7 documented as necessary in an     
individualized education program2 or    
7,b7 included as part of services or    
accommodations provided to the student  
pursuant to section #ejd of the         
,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi      
,u4,s4,c4 #gid7 7commonly referred to as
 a ,section #ejd plan72 and  7#c7 for an
 emergency4  7d7 ,uses of funds ,an     
eligible school that receives a grant   
under this ,act shall use grant funds to
 carry out #a or more of the following  
activities3 7#a7 ,purchase equipment    

that will support the personal          
electronic device policy of the school1 
such as phone lockers1 phone pouches1 or
 similar storage devices or equipment4  
7#b7 ,provide professional development  
and training to teachers and school     
staff about how to support the school's 
personal electronic device policy4  #d4 
,reporting ,not later than #a year after
 receiving a grant under this ,act1 an  
eligible school shall submit a report to
 the ,secretary that contains           
information about the effect of the     
activities carried out using grant funds
 under this ,act1 including any effect  
on academic outcomes at the eligible    
school4