Anne Arundel County Public Schools on Monday changed their cellphone policy for students for the coming school year.

Superintendent Mark Bedell said the move is designed to keep students focused on instruction, remove distractions, and improve their mental health.

“I want to be clear that this is not a ban on cellphones like other districts across the country have done,” Bedell said in a news release. “These are changes in guidelines as part of an effort to refocus precious time on instruction, which is something everyone we spoke with agreed is critically important.”

The guidelines differ depending on grade level.

Elementary and middle school

Students must have their phones off or on silent mode and out of sight throughout the school day, including at lunch and in hallways during transitions between classes. Previously, cellphones were allowed for instructional purposes and middle schoolers could use them during lunch with administration approval.

High school

Students may use their phones during lunch but must have them off or on silent mode and out of sight at all other times, including when moving between classes. Previously, cellphones were allowed for instructional purposes.

Additionally, Bedell said the county would provide students with Chromebooks to use during instruction time.

“I have complete faith that our students, provided with the right structure, will do the right thing,” Bedell said in a statement. “However, as the Superintendent, I will not hesitate to have further conversations with the school board and the community about a total ban should that become necessary.”

Students who do not follow the county’s latest guidelines will face disciplinary measures ranging from warnings to confiscation and potentially beyond based on circumstances, the county said in the news release. Confiscated phones will need to be picked up by a parent or guardian.

At a school board meeting in July, Bedell said cellphones are affecting students’ ability to focus on their schoolwork. “We owe it to our students to also protect them from themselves,” he added.