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Committee fast-tracks new student cell-phone and wireless-device policy for same-day board consideration
Summary
The Policy Committee voted Aug. 5, 2025, to fast-track a proposed policy governing student use of cell phones and wireless devices to the full board for possible approval that evening; staff said the measure responds to a state law deadline and aims to avoid midyear discipline changes for students.
The Policy Committee on Aug. 5, 2025, voted to fast-track a proposed new policy on the use of cell phones and wireless devices by students and sent it to the full school board for consideration the same day.
Attorney Marsh explained the reason for the proposal: "The general assembly passed session law 30 38, which mandates the adoption of a wireless device policy by 01/01/2026." Marsh said staff recommended adopting a local policy in advance of the statute's deadline to avoid changing student-discipline rules midyear: "While we have ample time with that deadline, the policy the problem is that we will be changing a student discipline policy midyear, and staff recommends that we do it that we get ahead of that and not change the rules midstream for students."
Committee members discussed how the item should appear on the full-board agenda. Staff outlined two options: place the policy on the consent agenda and allow the board to pull it for discussion, or leave it as a separate item so the committee could discuss it at the full meeting. Member comments included concern about community reaction: one committee member said, "I wanna talk about it in in our meeting. Yeah. Because parents and, staff are not gonna like it." The committee decided to fast-track the policy so it could be considered at the board meeting that evening; a member moved to fast-track the proposal and the committee approved by voice vote.
Staff also noted the proposed policy would reference a revision to the code of student conduct so that the cell-phone and wireless-device policy would supersede the code of conduct on those specific issues. Committee members were told the board could still remove the item from consent at the board meeting for additional discussion.
Next steps: the item will appear on the full board agenda for the board to approve, reject, or refer back to staff; if adopted, the district intends the policy to meet the state-mandated deadline of Jan. 1, 2026.
