The Marysville Board of Education voted to approve a set of policies published on its August agenda, including a policy limiting student cell-phone use during the school day that follows the ODE model. The board approved the policies as published after a short public comment and brief discussion and voted in favor of adoption.
The policy was presented by Dr. Howard, the district superintendent, who said districts are required to prohibit the use of cell phones during the school day by 01/01/2026, with limited exceptions for documented medical needs. "Altogether with a few exceptions with 1 being carved out for students needing to use electronic devices for medical needs," Dr. Howard said. He added the policy before the board "is the ODE model policy."
The policy discussion began in public participation when Cade, a senior at Early College High School, asked the board for clarity and suggested language changes to ensure students using phones for classwork — for example, to participate in online college classes — are explicitly allowed. "I think that it would be beneficial to allow the use of that for educational purposes," Cade said. Board members and the superintendent addressed questions about what counts as "documented" exceptions and about headphones. Dr. Howard clarified that documented exceptions generally refer to a student's 504 plan or an Individualized Education Program: "That that's correct. It would be, individuals that might have a 504 or an IEP, primarily for, for, medical, you know, to monitor, you know, medical, you know, reasons for having them."
Board members said the policy is intended to reduce classroom distraction while allowing documented exceptions. Several board members and the superintendent acknowledged implementation challenges and said staff will need time to align classroom practice with the written policy. One board member noted that while phones are targeted, district-issued Chromebooks also present distraction risks and will require parallel attention.
The policy motion was moved and seconded on the agenda; the board voted in favor. The motion as recorded approved the policies as published, including the cell-phone policy, and the board took no changes to the published language during the meeting. The board and superintendent signaled that staff guidance and further communications with families will be required as the policy is implemented before the January 2026 statutory deadline.
Less urgent implementation details raised in the meeting included whether headphones are permitted for classroom learning (not explicitly delineated in the adopted policy) and how teachers will document educational uses when needed under a student's 504 or IEP. The superintendent and board said these operational questions will be part of staff training and future communications with families.
Board members praised the public comment. "The comments were, well spoken, articulate, and, very much appreciated," a board member said during the meeting. The district directed no immediate changes to the policy text during the session and indicated that specific operational questions (headphone use, documentation formats) will be resolved through administrative guidance.
What happens next: The district will publish the adopted policy and issue further guidance on exceptions and classroom implementation. The board and superintendent said they expect staff to provide clarifying procedures and that families will receive follow-up communications before the policy’s effective deadline.