Pennsylvania
PA law would restrict cellphones in schools. Pittsburgh already bans them
Here’s what we know now about school cellphone bans
More states are implementing or considering phone bans in schools following guidance from the U.S. Surgeon General on children and social media.
If Pennsylvania sees statewide restrictions on cellphones in schools, would anything change in Pittsburgh?
It’s too early to say for sure.
On June 1, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed legislation that would require school districts to adopt phone restrictions, leaving the details of the exact policy’s implementation up to individual districts, according to USA TODAY. Now, if cleared by the Senate — which already passed another version of the proposal with almost unanimous support — it will go to Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has repeatedly said he supports getting cellphones out of classrooms with a bell-to-bell ban.
“Here in Pennsylvania, Democrats and Republicans agree: We need to let our kids be kids again,” Shapiro said in a June 4 post to his X account.
But Pittsburgh’s already ahead of the curve when it comes to banning cellphones during school hours because of a school board policy approved in late 2025.
Here’s what to know.
Are cell phones banned in Pittsburgh schools?
Yes, cellphones are banned during the school day at Pittsburgh Public Schools.
In December 2025, Pittsburgh Public Schools Board voted to ban the use of phones by students during the school day, Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
Under the policy, the possession of phones by students is prohibited. While they may bring cellphones to school, the devices must be turned in to school personnel during the school day.
There are exceptions to the policy in cases where a student may need a phone for instructional activities, an Individualized Education Plan, a Section 504 Plan or for other reasons approved by a school administrator.
Why are schools banning cellphones?
Numerous states have already banned cellphones in schools, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and others, according to ABC News.
This year, Indiana and Kansas banned phones during the day, implementing policies that require students to keep their phones in inaccessible locations through the entire school day, USA TODAY reported.
Recently, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming passed or updated less restrictive legislation on phones in schools, according to an analysis by the Becca Schmill Foundation, the Institute for Families and Technology, Smartphone-Free Childhood US and Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation.
Illinois, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania may follow suit.
Do cellphone bans work?
Yes and no.
Cellphone bans keep kids off their devices, but they don’t appear to impact test scores, attendance, self-reported classroom attention or perceived online bullying, according to a study published in April by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Additionally, researchers found that during the first year of a cellphone ban, disciplinary incidents rose and students’ reported well-being fell, though the effects subsided as the years passed.
Still, there’s a push for bans nationally, with the U.S. surgeon general’s office warning on May 20 that “compulsive” screen use is linked to poor sleep, substance abuse, developmental disruptions and social, mental and behavioral issues. The office suggested that cellphone bans in schools are a way to help put excessive screen time in check.
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.
PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. (WPVI) — We are heading to Rivertown Taps in historic Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, to make a classic fan favorite, Caesar salad.
And when they say “taps,” they mean it.
There are dozens of drinks, beer and beyond, on tap at Phoenixville’s first self-serve drink tap wall.
“Phoenixville has always been a very beer-centric town, and we’re beer-centric people, so we wanted to have a really curated selection,” says Chef Owner Lewis Leiterman. “We have 36 drinks on tap.”
Just grab a charge card, choose your glassware and choose your own adventure.
“You pay for whatever you pour by the ounce,” says Leiterman. “You can pour as much or as little as you like.”
The building dates back to the 1800s, and Leiterman made sure to preserve pieces of that history, while bringing something super fresh to the strip.
“We make pastas from scratch,” he says. “We extrude all of our own pastas in house. We do all of our fresh-filled pastas all by hand. We make all our own breads. Everything that’s in here is from scratch.”
The mission includes a commitment to locally sourced food.
Today, we’re making a house favorite: the Caesar salad – with a twist.
“I hate chasing croutons around a salad, like, the fork never kind of sticks into it,” says Leiterman. “We still wanted that crunch factor, like the classic crouton, but different. What we did was we took some of our old bread and we kind of toasted it up and made a coarse panko texture.”
It’s becomes a universal crouton that makes its way throughout the salad.
“We like to feature seasonal vegetables in our Caesar salad, just for a little bit more flavor and nutrition,” says Leiterman.
He grills up some nice asparagus, and then adds some protein.
“I love a soft boiled egg on a salad to add more sustenance to a salad and a little bit of heartiness to it,” he says.
The build starts with a mix of greens, like red romaine and red watercress.
The dressing gets a gourmet kick.
“We do a black garlic and truffle Caesar,” he says. “We don’t like to overdress it. My pet peeve is those thick Caesar dressings.”
Add the asparagus to gently warm the salad, shave on some Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, add the soft boiled egg and finally, the breadcrumbs.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Fewer young adults reach major milestones as finances delay life plans
Fewer young adults in the U.S. are reaching traditional adulthood milestones, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data.
Benzinga – News
Pennsylvania’s over-65 population is growing faster than any other age group in the commonwealth, now making up more than one-fifth of the state’s residents, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data.
The federal agency estimates about 2.8 million Keystone State residents are 65 or older, an increase of about 13% since the last nationwide census was published in 2020.
Overall, the state’s population has remained stagnant at about 13 million since the last census. And many age groups — including children and younger adults — have actually declined in number over the past five years, according to the estimates released June 25.
The median age for a Pennsylvanian is now 41.4, compared to 41 in 2020.
How does Pa. compare to the rest of the U.S.?
Pennsylvania’s increase in older adults matches national trends, as the number of people 65 and older grew by about 9 million across the U.S. since 2020, the estimates suggest. As in the Keystone State, the population of people younger than 18 has fallen over the past several years, as did the number of people in midlife.
Overall, the nation’s population has climbed by an estimated 3.1%, or about 10.3 million people, since 2020.
However, Southern states showed more rapid growth that spanned all age categories, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“The South stands out because it is seeing population gains in age groups that in other regions saw little change or are declining, reflecting its strong positive migration patterns this decade,” Lauren Bowers, a Census Bureau official, said in a statement.
What does the aging trend mean for Pa.?
Policymakers are working to prepare for Pennsylvania’s continued graying and the needs that will come along with these demographic shifts. By 2030, one in three commonwealth residents are projected to be over age 60, according to state officials.
But advocates stress the need for more resources to support Keystone State residents as they age, pointing to caregiver shortages and barriers to healthcare access in rural areas.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration in 2024 released a 10-year plan for getting the state ready, laying out strategies for supporting people who want to age at home, expanding transportation options and increasing the number of caregivers.
Bethany Rodgers is a USA TODAY Network Pennsylvania investigative journalist focusing on health and education.
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