The Harrison Central School District Board of Education adopted a new student-use policy restricting internet-enabled devices during the school day in a single reading on July 8, 2025 to comply with a recently enacted state law.

Board members said the policy is designed to meet the law’s requirements while also focusing on teaching students about safe and responsible technology use. The district solicited input on the policy from the rising senior class student government, parent representatives from PT Council and employee groups before adopting the policy, the board said.

At the meeting the policy was identified as policy 73 16 (student use of internet-enabled devices). The policy will be distributed to all parents before the start of the new school year, the board said. Board members also announced a first reading of revisions to the district’s 1000-series bylaws; those revised bylaws were made available for public review on the Board of Education webpage under meeting agendas.

Board member and policy committee chair Samantha Jaburga said the district had “crafted a policy that complies with this law while also emphasizing the importance of teaching students how to use technology safely and responsibly.” She added that, “as required by law, the district sought input on this policy from student government of the rising senior class, parent representatives from PT Council, and our employee group.”

The board did not cite the statute by number at the meeting. The text discussed at the meeting emphasizes limiting in-class use of personal internet-connected devices and includes procedures for communication with parents and staff training; the board said it would distribute the final policy to families before the fall term.

A single reading adoption was used to meet the Aug. 1 compliance timeline the board referenced. There was no public comment on the policy at the meeting.