Press Release: 5/11/2026

AG Campbell Launches $500,000 Phone-Free School Support Grant

BOSTON — As part of ongoing efforts to address the youth mental health crisis and support schools across the Commonwealth, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today launched a $500,000 Phone-Free Schools Support Grant to help public schools, charter schools, and educational collaboratives create distraction-free learning environments. The grant will provide schools with the resources necessary to create phone-free learning environments, improving student focus, strengthening peer relationships, and supporting healthier school communities. AG Campbell made the announcement today following a tour of Ipswich High School, which successfully implement a bell-to-bell no cell phone policy. 



“Students and teachers deserve environments where the focus is on learning and building relationships – not constant notifications and distractions,” said AG Campbell. “This grant will help schools implement thoughtful bell-to-bell policies that support student mental health and create stronger, more connected learning environments.” 



The $500,000 grant will fund proposals that create more engaged learning environments free from the distractions of cell phones and other personal electronic devices. Funding may be used to support reasonable and necessary expenses associated with the implementation and evaluation of a bell-to-bell cell phone policy, including but not limited to: 




  • Materials or licenses to support policy implementation, including lockable phone storage and technology that limits device access during the school day;  

  • Professional development and training for school staff or administrators; 

  • Community engagement and education efforts; 

  • Data collection and evaluation tools to assess impacts on school climate, student engagement, and device use; and  

  • Translation and accessibility support to ensure inclusive participation and communication. 



School leaders and teachers in Massachusetts have reported that cell phones and social media are driving classroom distractions, shortened attention spans, increased anxiety, negative peer interactions, and more frequent cyberbullying, harassment, and hate incidents. At the same time, schools that have implemented distraction-free policies, including the use of phone storage systems, are seeing increased student focus, improved peer relationships, and reductions in cyberbullying.  



"We always try to do what's best for our students, and the implementation of this policy is an example of that aspiration. Our teachers came to me a couple of years ago and pitched the idea, and it was clear we had to do something different because our existing policy just wasn't working. I was glad to hear that elected officials like AG Campbell are advocating for the "bell-to-bell" ban to go statewide, because then we wouldn't be out on an island anymore. And really it has been a game changer for us as a school community,” said Jon Mitchell, Principal of Ipswich High School. 



Grant funds will be awarded in varying amounts up to $50,000, based upon the number of students enrolled in each applicant’s school(s). The grant is anticipated to start on September 1, 2026, and the grant period will last up to two years. 



The Attorney General's Office (AGO) will prioritize applications aligned with the strategies outlined in its Cell Phone and Social Media In Schools Toolkit.



Applications must be received by 5:00 P.M. on June 5, 2026. For more information on the grant, including details on how to apply, please visit this webpage. Questions regarding this grant program may be submitted to AGOgrants@mass.gov by 5:00 P.M. on May 29, 2026,



This grant program was developed by the AGO’s Grants Unit and Director Liza Hirsch of the AGO’s Children’s Justice Unit.  



This grant builds on AG Campbell’s broader efforts to address the ongoing youth mental health crisis, including by holding social media and tech companies accountable for the harms they inflict on young people. In November 2025, AG Campbell introduced the STUDY Act, a bill that would implement a statewide bell-to-bell cell phone ban during school hours to improve the overall learning environment and school culture. AG Campbell has also filed lawsuits against Meta and TikTok for knowingly designing their social media platforms to be addictive and harmful to young users.