The Westerville City Schools Board of Education on Aug. 25 approved a revised personal communication device policy to align district rules with restrictions in the recent state budget bill and guidance from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

Board members voted to adopt policy 5,136, a change district leaders said was driven by state law rather than local initiative. “The change in this policy and our procedures are a result of mandates from this particular budget bill and not something that we unilaterally decided to do on our own,” a district staff presenter identified in the meeting as Mr. A told the board.

District officials said the state agency’s interpretation indicates the intent was a ban on personal communication devices from the start to the end of the instructional day, including hallways, lunch and study halls. The board approved the measure after discussion; roll-call votes recorded each board member voting in favor.

Administrators described allowable exceptions: written documentation from a physician explaining the need for a device, device use specifically written into a student’s 504 plan or individualized education program (IEP), classroom teacher permission for instructional purposes (for example, translation in English-learner classes), and emergency contact use when safety protocols permit. Mr. A gave the translation example: “Several of our students in our English learner classes use their devices for translation purposes. That is an absolutely viable instructional use of cell phones that we intend to continue to allow.”

Staff also explained that the statutory deadline for compliance is Jan. 1, but the district implemented the policy at the start of the school year so teachers, students and families would have a full year under the new rules rather than a midyear change. District leaders said they are continuing conversations about items that fall near the edges of the new rule — for example, e-readers, Kindles and non-communication electronic devices — and plan consistent systemwide guidance for those items.

The board’s action was taken as the district begins enforcement; administrators said principals and teachers are communicating the rules to students and families and the communications team is sharing details to minimize confusion.