McLean and Langley high school students returned to class Monday, Aug. 24, with a new rule they'll feel at lunch: no phones allowed.

A statewide "bell-to-bell" cellphone ban took effect across all Fairfax County Public Schools on the first day of the 2026-27 school year. Under the policy, cellphones, smartwatches, earbuds, smart glasses and all internet-connected personal devices must be powered off and stored in backpacks from first bell to last. School-issued devices are exempt.

For high schoolers at McLean and Langley, the biggest shift is lunchtime. Until this year, students could scroll, text and stream during the midday break. That's over.

The ban stems from Virginia Senate Bill 108, effective July 1, which requires every public school in the state to enforce phone-free instructional time. The Fairfax County School Board went further on July 16, voting 10-0 (with Ilryong Moon abstaining) to bar personal laptops and tablets during the school day as well, requiring exclusive use of FCPS-issued devices. Students with Individualized Education Programs or Section 504 Plans that mandate a personal device are exempt.

School Board Chair Robyn Lady voted in favor along with Vice Chair Kyle McDaniel and eight other members.

Fewer crossing guards at high schools

Separately, the Fairfax County Police Department has cut 11 crossing guard positions for this school year, according to FFXnow. Nine of those cuts are concentrated in Vienna. Whether McLean or Langley High School intersections lost coverage is not confirmed in available reporting.

The cuts are a police department staffing decision, not an FCPS one. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors restored funding for high school crossing guards in its FY2026 budget while directing FCPD to find a cost-saving model for the service.

New bus tap-to-ride system

Superintendent Michelle Reid told WTOP that roughly 130,000 students ride FCPS buses. Starting this year, every rider will receive a student ID card and tap it on a tablet when boarding and exiting.

"Through this system, our transportation team will always know which students are on which school buses, improving safety and efficiency," Reid said in a written Q&A published Aug. 24.

The School Board unanimously adopted the FY 2027 budget in May 2026. Meanwhile, 201 McLean High students started at Langley this week under new boundary lines, adding route complexity to an already massive transportation operation.

FCPS posted its full cellphone guidance on the district website.