[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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",6193695,"mediaKeyId","3865804-31a0b89e88578969041b371a6b5c44cb","parentId",3865804,"title","Williamson County board adopts new wireless-communications policy after debate over lunch access and a grace period","audioSeconds",5139,"startMs",1904000,"endMs",7043000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3865804-31a0b89e88578969041b371a6b5c44cb&start=1904&end=7043","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3865804-31a0b89e88578969041b371a6b5c44cb/thumbnail_1904000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6193695/Tennessee/Williamson-County-board-adopts-new-wireless-communications-policy-after-debate-over-lunch-access-and-a-grace-period","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193695-a6af317de3b2c73e6c5a01d2589f6aac/orig.mp4?Expires=1771075208&Signature=cy-P-zyfApBjVdcZwwwE14pwUHVMBjthVPtEO3KlRSAtDNmvPDt4khU-0rxTj-dWQs4zLdSUL0WN0UJS5k5az7e2-SNbUZYnN5VlpCxRY0NZTy5lgixSReEe8NtxTmQ9N-tw-YacO7JSIAn3AYPBLsBz274EuEXbm-V4hfG8OG4FfIVrdK-is24u2PkgzRCGUjbhqdIJtio23Nw0w9mZfCZmEGzlmX31sFh6x83~fjXZEH75hHjVf706CM5TH25p3xntPyELtUxoZsZSnc1JJnbbVRGzrMBBdaCaMqAKhk5Mm7suSLyjJNnoII7gottVfu8EyH0Tad5lcc88~HTyNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Williamson County Schools","date","2025-06-19T13:23:57.73Z","article","The Williamson County Board of Education on June 16 adopted a new wireless-communications policy (6.312) that restricts student use of personal wireless devices during instructional time and other parts of the school day; the board voted 10-0 to approve the measure.

The vote follows extensive public comment and a lengthy board discussion about scope, enforcement and timing. Amy Etcheson, a substitute teacher who spoke during public comment, urged the board to “adopt a phone free school day from bell to bell,” citing research on learning, social development and mental health. Board members debated whether to allow student device use during high school lunch periods and whether to phase in full enforcement.

Board member Dr. Claire Reeves proposed an amendment to remove the lunch-period exception and to add an implementation “grace period” during the fall 2025 semester, with “full enforcement, including applicable disciplinary consequences, [to] begin with the spring 2026 semester.” Reeves described the proposal as a way to allow time for community education and adjustment. That amendment failed on a 4-6 vote.

Several board members, including Dr. Reeves and other supporters, said they favor a “bell-to-bell” policy philosophically and cited research and local principal observations about device-driven distraction. District staff, represented in the discussion by a district administrator, said schools need time to prepare procedures and communications for students, parents and staff and noted that high school lunch periods are less structured and present enforcement challenges.

Board members agreed to a near-term implementation path: the policy will be effective July 1 to comply with state law; district staff and a newly formed technology committee will return recommendations about implementation details, storage, communications and disciplinary procedures. Jenny Lopez, who is leading the technology committee, told the board the committee will meet Aug. 12 and reconvene in September and will provide a recommendation on cell-phone use at the end of that topic discussion in September.

Chair remarks and staff comments framed the policy as required by state law and emphasized planning steps. Superintendent Jason Golden and district administrators said they will work with principals, teachers and parent representatives on the rollout. The board also discussed the option of piloting a faster local implementation at individual schools if principals volunteer to move forward sooner.

The final vote to adopt policy 6.312 was 10-0. Board members recorded that the policy will be implemented in compliance with state law on July 1 and that staff will return with committee findings and recommended procedures before school starts and again when the committee completes its review.

The board directed staff to notify the public of the policy's effective date and to provide timelines and recommended enforcement procedures as the technology committee develops them.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Williamson County Board of Education Meeting - June 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Williamson County Board of Education on June 16 adopted a new wireless-communications policy (6.312) that restricts student use of personal wireless devices during instructional time and other parts of the school day; the board voted 10-0 to approve the measure.","taxTitle","Williamson County, School Districts, Tennessee","taxId",17219,"location","Tennessee","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},6193685,"Board schedules special called meeting for June 20 to consider county budget changes; approves major grants and capital request",1271,2619000,3890000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3865804-31a0b89e88578969041b371a6b5c44cb&start=2619&end=3890","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3865804-31a0b89e88578969041b371a6b5c44cb/thumbnail_2619000.jpg","/articles/6193685/Tennessee/Board-schedules-special-called-meeting-for-June-20-to-consider-county-budget-changes-approves-major-grants-and-capital-request","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193685-48d4469e549eec583451e1f333a86c79/orig.mp4?Expires=1771075208&Signature=XI5~Y7khUB2BvaQqEvVyMeamLKyYpXBPfZAJyKaxJpIzgkNkya28TCYx4tn2aD58XiKO~zBQAndE9n4XjvudlV6J4H3itZRfaplwVCQmyxOUPjy4CwhnPnVwhFWd7B4yphSodDPRKj3r~~Wj0qtpUkLHdj1Rey4mnsPnQqyj8-5MZtL5TspRlgBFbwoE6GwKQ4wSYiibAGzlVFx2SlNYaJ37-7mIhWUA52uL0FmVAWbMsguriQetQm9phQvZGEDCXAvuPdA6DHb5z8KblBqA6JWR7JZ~Vyzv13ZZ66wKOn7ijdlG05bzl7NxWlS538XumgYviDGfGbbwMWczyWoW0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board leaders told members on June 16 that a special called meeting will be held Friday, June 20, to consider budget amendments if the Williamson County Commission adopts changes that affect the school district's budget. The chair said the district must meet by law to adopt a budget and that seven members must be physically present for that special meeting.

Chair remarks and staff previewed that the county commission was expected to adopt the county budget on Friday; county changes could require the school board to amend its budget, particularly for insurance line items. The chair recommended scheduling the special called meeting for June 20 at 5 p.m. in the board room; staff said arrangements would be made for remote participation where allowed and that the board must issue public notice at least 48 hours before the meeting.

Separately during the June 16 meeting the board voted unanimously on a series of budget and donation items: acceptance of the General Purpose School Fund summer learning camps grant for FY2026 in the amount of $4,400,725 (approved 10-0); the summer learning transportation grant for $798,171 (10-0); a fine-arts donation from Gibson Gives for $49,410 (10-0); a $1,000 donation from Roger and Carrie Dunaway (10-0); a TCAT dual-enrollment donation of $5,737.23 (10-0); a central cafeteria commodities increase of $570,826.12 (10-0); various end-of-year intrafund budget adjustments across general purpose, central cafeteria and extended school program funds (10-0 votes); and approval of a capital resolution seeking $14,135,800 in 07.25 capital funding (10-0). For one state-funded transportation grant the superintendent noted the district does not expect to spend all funds and must return unspent amounts to the state.

Board members praised district finance staff for the work required to reconcile year-end budgets and audits. Finance staff explained that several items approved were revenue-and-expense equal entries to reconcile recorded commodity purchases and other year-end accounting adjustments; no new recurring revenue was created by those administrative corrections.

The board asked staff to circulate special-meeting notice information and reiterated that the capital request will be considered by the county commission later (the capital request will be reviewed by county officials in July, not on the June 20 special-called meeting agenda), and that the board expects the special call on June 20 to be brief if only to adopt the county-driven amendments.","The Williamson County Board of Education set a special called meeting for June 20 to amend its budget if the county commission changes insurance or other line items. At the June 16 meeting the board also unanimously approved multiple grants and donations, including a $4.4 million summer learning camps grant and a $14.1 million capital resolution.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6193690,"Board adopts revised policy on access to student tests after public comment and edits",6946,1695000,8641000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3865804-31a0b89e88578969041b371a6b5c44cb&start=1695&end=8641","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3865804-31a0b89e88578969041b371a6b5c44cb/thumbnail_1695000.jpg","/articles/6193690/Tennessee/Board-adopts-revised-policy-on-access-to-student-tests-after-public-comment-and-edits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193690-a9d7284bab39420c2bbebd36c83eaae2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771075208&Signature=KYNU2aOH9phQ1lggxA0pzZ9r8VOGs~zxhn1LGq3I8u18qPkmZN2vaHsmmroKcHgL~ESOsbsS9M6rn0MTeOrnBesr2Gkg5jfvyuyIX~IgFi-yLkexIFSmy~yH7pny1mSeHXN2FQub~Ipxyk~0RvD1nSvWIwxLTr~LXwehpkjWgLXfb~x-bPS6zc67T6H7Hi0lbubBOoXLAppuFUoQhIEFFpSXW3JXWJTHEGePHQ~UXqqeaSyhRy8MChVLa0U31sx3paLRNFCA1R54VPr61FoXhI~LRusQxaSrNSEEyb9Hyba6j1kJpwqzJoFgpRjn8KOdX5xQll8V4wp-v0FMW1gMTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A revised district policy clarifying student and parent access to tests and quizzes was adopted by the Williamson County Board of Education on June 16 following public comment and two board amendments; the final vote on second reading was 8-2.

During public comment, Deborah Buffalini said she supports transparency but asked the board to clarify the policy's language because the draft used the term \"reassessment\" in different ways and she was concerned it could be interpreted to permit broad retesting or grade changes. \"When I get to that part, that word reassessment is supposed to mean something different than it does in the first line, and that concerns me,\" Buffalini said.

Board members and staff discussed the distinction between returning academic assessments (tests and quizzes) and district-supported reassessment practices. Mister Galbraith, speaking for the policy committee, said the policy is intended to \"establish the rights of students and parent guardians to access and retain academic assessments\" while allowing teachers or teams to choose reassessment methods that \"may not necessarily lead to grade changes.\"

Board member Mister Bostick proposed an amendment to remove the paragraph on reassessment (citing concerns about teacher autonomy and student motivation). The board adopted that amendment 7-3. A clarifying amendment to shorten the access sentence and adjust wording passed 9-1; the policy as amended then passed on second reading 8-2.

Superintendent Jason Golden and district administrators told the board the district will emphasize the practice of reviewing assessment results with students and parents as a research-based best practice and that implementation is already occurring unevenly across schools. District leaders agreed to provide updates on implementation after the start of the school year and noted that exceptions remain for assessments that cannot be released for security or legal reasons.

The board voted to adopt the policy as amended and directed staff to continue professional learning and communications so that teachers and schools implement the access practice consistently. Board members requested a follow-up update during the next school year.","After public comment raised concerns about the word 'reassessment' and two board amendments, the Williamson County Board of Education approved a revised policy clarifying student and parent access to tests and quizzes; the board asked staff to monitor implementation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Williamson County board adopts new wireless-communications policy after debate over lunch access and a grace period

Board schedules special called meeting for June 20 to consider county budget changes; approves major grants and capital request

Board adopts revised policy on access to student tests after public comment and edits