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San Marcos Unified reports mixed results from districtwide cell-phone policy; high school enforcement remains uneven
Summary
Administrators reported mostly successful implementation at elementary and middle schools but inconsistent enforcement and student pushback at high schools; staff recommended clarifications for smartwatches and an administrative regulation to allow limited device use in certain high-school courses.
San Marcos Unified School District staff told the board Thursday that the district’s new mobile device policy — “away for the day” at elementary/middle schools and “distraction-free” during instructional time at high schools — has generally rolled out smoothly at lower grades but remains uneven at the high school level.
Dr. Tiffany Campbell, deputy superintendent, said elementary administrators rated implementation “very successful” and reported minimal family complaints; a primary unresolved item is “smartwatch” management and the need for clearer guidance. Middle school administrators described student grumbling but broad staff enthusiasm and noted improved lunchtime socialization in some schools.
“At high school, administrators rate implementation as mostly successful and somewhat unsuccessful,” Campbell said, noting “wide variance in classroom enforcement” and that students reported the policy “feels like it isn’t lessening the distraction so much as moving it somewhere else.” Student board representatives who addressed the board echoed that perspective: students said phones can be a symptom of low engagement and that removing phones sometimes shifts distraction to other devices or offline behaviors.
Campbell described staff concerns about inconsistent enforcement and teachers’ reluctance to engage in power struggles with students. She said high school principals generally oppose broad teacher-by-teacher discretion but recognized that some courses — notably visual arts and leadership (ASB) — occasionally require device use. The administration proposed an update to administrative regulations that would allow principals to seek annual, schoolwide approvals for specific courses (e.g., visual arts, leadership) to permit device or earbud use when it “directly enhances the learning environment.”
Other recommended next steps include developing clear language for smartwatches at all levels, eliminating “bring your own device” at middle schools because Chromebooks are provided to every student, and continuing an instructional focus on collaboration and meaningful discourse to reduce dependence on device stimulation.
Campbell and student representatives also highlighted practical concerns: at the high school level, students and staff cited applications and external services that sometimes are blocked by district filters on Chromebooks, and some students described using personal devices to access college or internship communications that the district-managed accounts would not receive.
The report was informational. Board members thanked students for their feedback and asked staff to continue monitoring enforcement consistency, smartwatch guidance, and teaching practices that reduce idle time. No policy change was adopted at the meeting; staff said they will return with draft administrative regulations and clarifications for the 2025–26 school year.
