One month in: Ithaca High leadership says cell-phone ban shows drops in referrals and more student engagement

Ithaca City School District administrators, high school leaders and student representatives presented a one-month update on the district’s new cell-phone policy at the Sept. 30 board meeting, reporting mixed results with clear behavioral shifts and operational issues to address.

Student survey data summarized at the meeting found an average student rating of 3.14 out of 5 for the phone policy and that 83.7% of students reported they now use phones rarely or never in class, according to a student representative. High school administrators reported a 28% increase in library book checkouts and a 35% decrease in disciplinary referrals during the first month, and said classroom observations showed more student-to-student interaction.

‘‘Students are telling us that their assignments are easier. They’re making more friends. They’re talking more in class,’’ said Patrick Covey, an associate principal at the high school, who led building-level observations and outreach.

Practical problems and concerns: Student speakers and teachers raised several operational issues that surfaced since implementation, including difficulty contacting caregivers during the day, challenges uploading lab reports without phone cameras, lack of reliable in-class access to music and the expense of analog music tutors for band and orchestra. Students also said pouch adoption is low; one student rep reported roughly three-quarters of students do not use the provided pouches.

Next steps: Administrators said IT has supplied document cameras to many science classrooms, added chargers in common areas and will continue targeted problem solving. The district plans further staff, student and family surveys and additional implementation adjustments.

Ending: Board members praised the early shifts in school culture but asked for continued data collection and updates. No change to the policy was approved at the meeting.