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Board opens state-mandated public comment on personal-device policy; DOE guidance, placeholder bills cited
Summary
The Brentwood board opened the required public comment period on a state-mandated personal communication device policy. Parents and a state policy participant urged stakeholder input; the SAU said the policy will incorporate teacher and student feedback and return for further review.
The Brentwood School Board opened public comment on a state-required personal communication device policy at its first meeting of the school year, hearing several speakers who urged continued stakeholder input as administrators draft a local policy.
Chair Duffy told the room the district was obliged to take comment: “we are required by state law to take public comment on the new personal communication device policy,” a duty several speakers said limits how much local change is possible because portions of the policy are dictated by statute.
Melissa Litchfield, who said she was “instrumental in that cell phone bill,” told the board she would file placeholder legislation this year so the bill can be amended if problems arise. “I am going to be putting in another cell phone bill. It'll be a placeholder so that if we do come across issues this year, then we can go back and we can try and make changes and enhance the cell phone bill,” Litchfield said, and added she had been in touch with the state Department of Education Commissioner Caitlin Davis.
Several parents reported positive effects where limits are already in place. One parent commenter said their high school daughter noted students were “so much more present at lunch” after restrictions were introduced.
SAU staff said the policy must be developed with stakeholder input. Renee Bennett, the superintendent designee, said the policy will solicit feedback from teachers and students and be routed through the policy committee; the personal-device policy is not yet finalized and will be refined while public comment continues. The policy committee plans additional review and the board plans a second reading before any adoption.
Discussion versus decision: the board accepted public comment and directed staff to continue stakeholder engagement; no policy adoption or binding change occurred at the meeting.
What comes next: the policy committee will continue to collect stakeholder input through the fall and the board expects a second reading before a final vote; SAU staff indicated they will circulate drafts to teachers and department meetings for feedback.
