Hall Pass - February 18, 2026
Welcome to Hall Pass, a newsletter written to keep you plugged into the conversations driving school board governance, the politics surrounding it, and education policy.
In today’s edition, you’ll find:
- On the issues: The debate over whether the chief state school officer should be an appointed or elected position
- School board filing deadlines, election results, and recall certifications
- Three states have restricted student cellphone use in K-12 public schools in 2026 so far
- Extracurricular: education news from around the web
- Candidate Connection survey
Reply to this email to share reactions or story ideas!
On the issues: The debate over whether the state superintendent of education should be an appointed or elected position
In this section, we curate reporting, analysis, and commentary on the issues school board members deliberate when they set out to offer the best education possible in their district. Missed an issue? Click here to see the previous education debates we’ve covered.
The superintendent of schools is a statewide office responsible for overseeing and coordinating elementary and secondary schools in all 50 states. States have different methods for selecting the position.
In 38 states, the superintendent of schools is appointed (depending on the state, the governor, state Board of Education, or state Board of Regents selects the superintendent). In the remaining 12 states, voters directly elect the superintendent.
This year, voters in Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, North Dakota, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Wyoming will elect a new state superintendent.
Should voters select the chief state school officer — or should that responsibility fall on governors or state board members? Policymakers have debated the benefits and drawbacks of each model.
Today, we look at contrasting opinions on the question from writers in Oklahoma and Wisconsin, where voters currently elect the superintendent.
Dr. Goldy Brown III, a professor of education at Whitworth University in Washington and former school principal in Wisconsin, says that making the state superintendent an appointed position would help voters better understand whom to hold accountable for student achievement and clarify for education leaders who has the power to make decisions. Brown argues the current model, in which candidates run in low-turnout elections, rewards political shrewdness over educational leadership or competency.
Mark McBride, a former Republican member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, says that an elected state superintendent gives voters — parents, teachers, and so on — a voice in the education system, providing a check on the governor’s power. McBride says centralizing education authority under the governor might help the system run more smoothly but only at the expense of an independent voice acting on behalf of the people.
WI should join others in appointing top education official | Dr. Goldy Brown III, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“This should not be a partisan issue. Democrats regularly support appointed leadership in transportation, health services and environmental protection because experience and continuity matter. Republicans emphasize clear lines of accountability in government. Both instincts point toward the same conclusion here: Wisconsin's education governance structure no longer matches the scale or responsibility of the job.
“For parents and taxpayers, the question is practical rather than ideological: when schools struggle, who is responsible — and who has the authority to fix them? That same question now faces lawmakers in Madison as they debate school funding, accountability and the role of DPI [Department of Public Instruction] in the next legislative session. Appointing the superintendent, with legislative confirmation, would align authority with responsibility, clarify accountability for families and give elected officials a clearer mandate to lead.
Oklahomans deserve a direct voice in who runs our schools, not just the governor | Mark McBride, The Oklahoman
“Supporters of the idea will say that [it] ensures “alignment” — that the governor, board and superintendent will all be pulling in the same direction. There’s no question that efficiency and consistency have their appeal. We’ve all seen conflict between a governor and an independently elected superintendent. But the downside is just as clear: The people of Oklahoma would lose their only direct voice in who runs our schools.
“Right now, the superintendent is accountable to voters. Parents, teachers and taxpayers can look at that person's record and either return them to office or send them home. Take that away, and the only real accountability left is to the governor. At that point, Oklahoma’s education system ceases to be led by an independent officer of the people and becomes just another Cabinet position at the whim of the executive.”
School board update: filing deadlines, election results, and recall certifications
In 2026, Ballotpedia will cover elections for more than 30,000 school board seats. We’re expanding our coverage each year with our eye on covering the country’s more than 80,000 school board seats.
Arkansas
Ballotpedia will cover general elections for all seven of the seats on the Little Rock School District school board on March 3. Little Rock School District is the second largest in the state, with roughly 21,000 students.
North Carolina
Ballotpedia will cover elections for several districts, including Guilford County Schools and Union County Public Schools, on March 3.
Click here to learn more about 2026 school board elections.
Three states have restricted student cellphone use in K-12 public schools in 2026 so far
Last year, nearly half of states enacted legislation restricting cellphone use in K-12 public schools. The topic continues to be a priority for many lawmakers in 2026.
On Feb. 12, the Hawaii Board of Education adopted a statewide policy barring public school students in most grades from using their phones during the school day beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Just days earlier, on Feb. 10, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) signed a bill prohibiting public school students from using their cellphones in class beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
New Jersey was the first state to enact a ban in 2026, when then-Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed S3695 on Jan. 8.
Hawaii’s policy means 32 states now limit when K-12 public school students can use their phones
Unlike most states that now regulate district cellphone policies, Hawaii’s ban wasn’t the result of legislation. The Hawaii State Board of Education, which is the state’s only school district, adopted a policy that prohibits elementary and middle school students from using their phones during the entire school day. In contrast, the policy bars high school students from using their phones only during instructional time and permits schools to develop their own rules governing technology during recesses, lunches, and other breaks.
Florida became the first state to pass a statewide law regulating cellphones in schools when Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed HB 379 in 2023. Since then, more than 60% of states have imposed similar requirements on public school districts.
Including Florida, a total of 41 states have passed laws addressing phones in school. In nine of those states, however, laws either encourage districts to limit student cellphone use or require them to adopt policies on technology in the classroom without specifying the form those policies should take.
In the states with bans, the laws either bar students from using their cellphones in class or during the entire school day (commonly referred to as a “bell-to-bell” ban).
Of the 32 states that limit student cellphone use, 18 had a Republican trifecta when the laws went into effect, while six had a Democratic trifecta. The remaining eight states had divided governments.
Michigan lawmakers approve cellphone ban after failing to reach agreement in 2025
In her February 2025 address to the Michigan State Legislature, Gov. Whitmer said, “Our educators get it. It’s hard to teach geography or geometry when you’re competing against memes or DMs. Other states—red and blue—have taken action. So has most of Europe and Canada. I understand the need to be connected to your child. But we can do better. This year, let’s pass bipartisan legislation to limit the use of phones in class.”
Following Whitmer’s speech, state Rep. Mark Tisdel (R) sponsored a bill to require districts to ban student cellphone use during instructional time. The bill failed in a 53-45 vote in the House, however, with most Democrats opposed because they said it infringed on local control of districts.
State Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D) sponsored a competing bill in the Senate that would have required districts to establish a policy on cellphones but left it up to them to fill in the details. That bill passed the Senate 28-9 but died in the House Education And Workforce Committee after House Speaker Matt Hall (R) said the chamber wouldn’t consider it.
Michigan has a divided government. Democrats hold a 19-18 majority in the Senate (with one vacancy), while Republicans hold a 58-52 majority in the House.
In 2026, however, Polehanki and Tisdel worked together on HB 4141 and SB 495, both of which passed on mostly bipartisan lines and were signed by Whitmer. HB 4141 requires districts to implement policies barring students from using cellphones during class time, while SB 495 requires districts to specify when and how students can use their phones during an emergency.
Here’s where states could pass new bans in the coming months
State legislators in Kansas, New Mexico, and South Dakota have taken action on cellphone ban bills in recent weeks. Neither Kansas nor New Mexico requires districts to regulate student cellphone use, but both have taken official actions addressing the topic. In 2024, the Kansas State Board of Education accepted a set of guidelines encouraging districts to limit student cellphone use in schools. And in 2025, New Mexico enacted a law requiring districts to adopt a cellphone policy of one kind or another.
South Dakota is one of only nine states that have not addressed district cellphone policies at the state level.
- Kansas: On Feb. 17, the Kansas House of Representatives voted 75-48 to pass a bill that would prohibit cellphone use during school hours for students attending public and private schools. State Rep. Jill Ward (R) included the provision applying the ban to private schools, saying, “These kids’ lives are just as negatively impacted by phones as those that attend public schools.” The bill now goes back to the Senate for a final vote. Kansas has a divided government, and Republicans control both chambers of the legislature.
- New Mexico: On Feb. 15, the New Mexico State Senate voted 32-6 to pass SB 23, a bill that would require school districts and charter schools to ban student cellphone use during the school day. The bill is now before the House, and the legislative session is scheduled to end Feb. 19. New Mexico has a Democratic trifecta.
- South Dakota: On Feb. 17, the South Dakota State Senate voted 19-15 to pass SB 198, a bill to prohibit K-12 public school students from using their cellphones during the school day. The bill now goes to the House. South Dakota has a Republican trifecta.
Surveys find students are skeptical of cellphone bans—and many say they use their phones anyway
While lawmakers are moving to regulate phones in schools, a recent poll finds that students aren’t exactly sold on the idea. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey of 1,458 teens, 73% said they opposed a bell-to-bell cellphone ban on middle and high school students, while 17% support it. The respondents were, however, more open to policies barring cellphone use during class. Fifty-one percent said they opposed bans during class time, while 41% said they supported them. Nine percent were uncertain.
School cellphone bans are not self-enforcing, and many districts are grappling with how best to apply the rules. A recent University of Southern California study suggests students are finding ways to use their phones, even in districts with bell-to-bell bans. Researchers found that 41% of students in schools with bell-to-bell policies reported using their phones in class. In those schools, students estimated they spent an hour and a half on their phones each day.
Polls find that adults are generally more supportive than teens of school cellphone bans. A 2025 Pew survey of adults, for example, found that 74% said they supported policies prohibiting student cellphone use during class time. Adults were more evenly split on the question of all-day bans, with 44% saying they support such policies and 46% opposed.
Click here to learn more about state-level school cellphone policies.
Extracurricular: education news from around the web
This section contains links to recent education-related articles from around the internet. If you know of a story we should be reading, reply to this email to share it with us!
- Moms vs. culture wars: How suburban women flipped school boards | Salon
- Parents are opting kids out of school laptops, returning them to pen and paper | NBC News
- Graduating into Uncertainty: Unauthorized Immigrant Students in U.S. High Schools | Migration Policy Institute
- When parents pay twice to escape public schools, the verdict is in | The Blaze
- Democrats, This Is Why You Haven’t Fixed Schools Yet | The New York Times
- New South Western school board majority dumps conservative council | The Columbus Dispatch
Take our Candidate Connection survey to reach voters in your district
Today, we’re looking at survey responses from two of the three candidates running in the March 3 general election for a seat on the Durham Public Schools school board, in North Carolina.
Four of the seven seats on the board are up for election this year. Durham Public Schools is the ninth largest in the state, with roughly 31,000 students.
Natalie Bent Kitaif earned a bachelor's degree from Guilford College, and a graduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Bent Kitaif’s campaign website says she has “a background in maternal and child public health and a systems-level approach to governance.”
Here’s how Bent Kitaif answered the question, “What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?”
“We must make good on our mission to educate every child in our community, specifically students of color. Teaching culturally relevant curriculum, increasing our Spanish language and ESL resources, and prioritizing the recruitment and retention of educators of color are needed steps. Students of color are specifically harmed through higher rates of punitive punishments for behavior issues. Punishment, such as suspension, does not address the root causes of disruptive behavior and removes students from the needed classroom environments that support their learning. Centering restorative practices is critical for both supporting students & giving educators the tools they need to create healthy, effective learning environments.”
Click here to read the rest of Bent Kitaif’s responses.
Dilcy Burton earned a bachelor’s degree from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, an MDiv from Liberty University, and a JD from North Carolina Central University School of Law. Burton’s career experience includes working as a document review attorney and an administrative hearing officer.
Here’s how Burton answered the question, “What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?”
“Dilcy Burton’s priority is strengthening Durham Public Schools and ensuring that every Durham student receives a high-quality public education. She believes in protecting access to a “sound basic education”, which is every Durham student’s constitutional right. She is a proponent of safe and healthy DPS buildings and believes in trust and transparency for all stakeholders of Durham Public Schools.”
Click here to read the rest of Burton’s responses.
As a reminder, if you're a school board candidate or incumbent planning to run this year, click here to take the survey. If you complete the survey, your answers will appear in your Ballotpedia profile. Your responses will also appear in our sample ballot. If there is an election in your community, share the link with your candidates and urge them to take the survey!
