[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6562331,"mediaKeyId","3276671-435865ca4e7edb08d83b923e6c1437c4","parentId",3276671,"title","Board advances electronic-device policy to third reading; administration outlines preK'12 procedures and Freedom High pilot","audioSeconds",1910,"startMs",3057000,"endMs",4967000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276671-435865ca4e7edb08d83b923e6c1437c4&start=3057&end=4967","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276671-435865ca4e7edb08d83b923e6c1437c4/thumbnail_3057000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6562331/Pennsylvania/Board-advances-electronic-device-policy-to-third-reading-administration-outlines-preK12-procedures-and-Freedom-High-pilot","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562331-ff8cba68466f1b0614c04a381a119b38/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147627&Signature=deIb~-FwVuyOGfpDMrrQsmYwkJd~nVUN4jehqUhAX454xncudlsp-D20ZuwuiH8kcjjq8kll~vygpZmOnZQIYYqjnXrlzXmMFfIiQeSUILk2jN0jEPsBY3ZFHFyJhL5fU1OQiw5G13BLCOzIoHQGwcbAY9LvDrbuf3ll4T8S-NqdqJiw47dz7qPky4zmBisKexn5Rm38Bvf0K2uEWYJfgdWS-tiyOVE7UrfYsp0v1td9udxb9Hmrx~tDGZIErPC5Oz13CDGzg7OmioHXujx~TTQc2m3D2mi-Kc0hrHhUT4HNa6o~PNr~FV4hMqrORGvUoEz09Rno1rEutKJjs5edbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bethlehem Area School District","date","2025-05-13T11:16:34Z","article","Bethlehem Area School District administrators presented revisions and proposed procedures for Board Policy 237 (electronic devices) at the district's May human-resources committee meeting and told the committee the policy will appear for a third reading at the regular board meeting on May 19.

Dr. Leeson and staff described edits made after prior discussion: the policy now explicitly tasks district administrators with ensuring consistent implementation and clarifies that students with documented medical, behavioral or disability-related needs (for example IEPs, Section 504 plans, individual health or emergency medical plans) may be approved for device use. The policy also says building administrators may approve limited cell-phone use in special situations, emergencies or for instructional purposes.

Under the separate procedures presented to the committee, preK'8 students would place nondistrict electronic devices in a designated location when school begins; high school students would be allowed to carry devices for noninstructional times (hallways, lunch) but must secure devices when class begins. The procedures specify that nondistrict devices be silenced and left in approved classroom locations when students leave the room during class time.

Technology staff described filtering and safety tools the district uses on school-issued devices. \"We have GoGuardian,\" a staff member said, explaining the platform blocks unsafe sites and generates alerts when a student's web activity indicates potential risk. Administrators said those alerts support counseling and safety interventions during units on sensitive topics such as health or suicide prevention.

Freedom High School principal Laurie Sage described a pilot of the procedures at her high school this year. \"We piloted this exact plan this year,\" Sage said, adding administrators and teachers tracked classroom compliance and used teacher-support measures for classroom management. Sage said the school used a graduated response (including a temporary office hold or \"cell phone jail\" as a last resort) and reported improved hallway transitions and attendance metrics in some cases.

Board members asked about evaluation and rollout. Staff said they have conducted walkthroughs and are collecting data on device use and stakeholder perspectives; they plan further training and communications for teachers, parents and students and proposed creating public-facing materials such as PSAs and videos for summer outreach.

The committee heard the proposed policy revisions and procedures and will bring Board Policy 237 (electronic devices) to the full board for a third reading at the May 19 meeting. Administrators said they will continue to gather implementation data and provide training and supports for teachers and building administrators.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BASD School Board Special Board Meeting and Finance and Human Resources Comm Mtgs - May 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a May human-resources committee meeting, Bethlehem Area School District administrators revised Board Policy 237 on electronic devices, added procedures for preK'8 and high school implementation, and scheduled the policy for a third reading May 19 after staff described a successful pilot at Freedom High School.","taxTitle","Bethlehem Area SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",12921,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6562336,"Bethlehem Area School Board adopts 2025–26 budget, will draw $5.9M from fund balance",140,1432000,1572000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276671-435865ca4e7edb08d83b923e6c1437c4&start=1432&end=1572","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276671-435865ca4e7edb08d83b923e6c1437c4/thumbnail_1432000.jpg","/articles/6562336/Pennsylvania/Bethlehem-Area-School-Board-adopts-202526-budget-will-draw-59M-from-fund-balance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562336-9fd77099e3ed6d6242bcf1e3fdad7d34/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147627&Signature=JFckKi062kB~HyKDkeM0oiHkDvb1s0B5Av5AD3bZFmxHeLsw6Q3LZe4JZ8pWEzGvgBYNGEHWScv96vw-TraIH9T3zcHCm0vcutPR0CdEhSQqEsCV28M8W24I2WVa1SdOcFuepriTu5UFKbpPvXhC3QICCEcPzyXBUG6~qIST8vERZp9d7wf3M1Q~W2Ldtz4cxdDS67FAqdMUOLQVhv-ZL5O~202obtG0O-kLQ-rtJRAm5OcaMHHfE878y5JfDCHTSEnFlk3dYa-9VlEtPHCJUaYZLm2zrGNirdMc5BYFjwXckAtkT-ISDud9P10tHIKS6ekbEWfo~CLrIa364WXpiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bethlehem Area School District Board of Directors voted May 12 to adopt the district's proposed 2025'26 budget, approving a plan that relies on a $5.9 million draw from the district's fund balance.

District financial staff told the board the adopted budget includes $373,000,000 in general fund appropriations and assumes about $2.5 million in state adequacy funding under the governor's proposal; the budget also reflects a roughly $1 million increase in state gaming revenue that administrators said reduces local tax pressure.

Finance staff said the district is \"balancing this budget with a $5,900,000 draw from our fund balance,\" and that, as presented, state support from the governor's proposals would leave Bethlehem essentially flat-funded after accounting for reduced cyber-charter reimbursement. The presenter said the budget does not include adjustments for anticipated cyber-charter reform.

The board's discussion focused on the uncertainty around state and federal funding and on growing charter tuition costs. District staff said charter tuition increases are driven primarily by rate recalculations rather than enrollment changes and that charter costs rose about 14% compared with last year, which outpaces the district's expected adequacy funding.

Board members and administrators described expenditure reductions made since the preliminary budget: roughly $3 million in cuts, nearly 20 positions removed through attrition, reduced transportation and capital projects (including delayed vehicle purchases), and scaled-back supplies, training and extracurricular equipment replacement. Administrators said those reductions are intended to protect classroom instruction, class sizes, student services and extracurricular programs while meeting debt-service commitments tied to new construction projects.

The board recorded the motion to adopt the proposed 2025'26 budget and carried the motion at the May 12 meeting. The administration said it will continue monitoring state and federal developments and will adjust the June 9 final adoption if new information on adequacy or federal aid becomes available.

As presented at the meeting, the budget'related figures that board members and staff highlighted include a $5.9 million fund-balance draw, approximately $2.5 million budgeted from the governor's adequacy proposal, an uptick of just over $1 million in state gaming revenue, and $373,000,000 in general fund appropriations. Charter tuition increases and unresolved cyber-charter reform remain major areas of uncertainty going into the fiscal year.

Next steps: administrators said additional clarity on state funding is expected before the board's planned final adoption on June 9; if material changes occur, staff said they will return with adjustments.","The Bethlehem Area School District board voted May 12 to adopt the proposed 2025–26 budget, balancing the plan with a $5.9 million draw from reserves amid uncertainty over state and federal aid and rising cyber charter costs.","actionData","errors"]

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Board advances electronic-device policy to third reading; administration outlines preK'12 procedures and Freedom High pilot

Bethlehem Area School Board adopts 2025–26 budget, will draw $5.9M from fund balance