The Marysville Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt a set of board policies that include a model policy limiting student use of cell phones during the school day, board members said at their August meeting. The policy adopts the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) model language and the district plans to enforce a ban by the state-mandated date of Jan. 1, 2026, with narrow exceptions for documented medical needs.

Why it matters: Board members said the change aims to reduce distractions and support student engagement, while students and some board members pressed for clearer definitions of permitted exceptions and implementation details.

The policy before the board uses ODE model text that generally prohibits cell-phone use during the school day, superintendent Dr. Howard said. He told board members the state requires districts to limit distractions from student cell phones and to prohibit use by Jan. 1, 2026, “altogether with a few exceptions with one being carved out for students needing to use electronic devices for medical needs.”

Student speaker Cade, a senior at Early College High School, urged the board to clarify the policy language so that phones used for instruction or to participate in college-level classes are allowed. “I think it would still be compliant with the law if that was changed to educational purposes,” Cade said, adding that students in online or college classes sometimes need phones for learning or to monitor health concerns.

Board members pressed for specifics. One board member asked whether the term “documented” refers to a Section 504 plan or an individualized education program (IEP); Dr. Howard confirmed that documented exceptions would primarily be recorded in a student’s 504 plan or IEP when the device is needed for medical or special-education reasons.

District staff also noted the district is 1-to-1 on Chromebooks, and board members cautioned that Chromebooks themselves bring distractions (YouTube, messaging in Google Docs) even if phones are restricted. Board members said the new policy is intended to create a clearer standard for teachers to enforce while acknowledging implementation challenges.

The board approved the full packet of policies as published. Board members and staff said they expect implementation questions to arise and signaled plans for administrative guidance and further school-level clarification on items such as headphone use and allowable instructional uses.

The board took no additional formal action specifying implementation protocols at the meeting; discussion and clarifications about how teachers should apply the policy were described as administrative follow-up.

Less-critical detail: Board members praised public comment and said the student’s remarks were articulate and helpful. The superintendent recommended stakeholders review research on youth screen time, citing the book The Anxious Generation as background reading.

Ending: The board adopted the policy package and signaled it will provide additional implementation guidance to staff and families before the Jan. 1, 2026, state deadline.