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Williamsville Board Adopts State-Mandated 'Distraction-Free' Phone Policy for 2025–26 School Year
Summary
The board approved Policy 73-16 restricting Internet-enabled devices during the school day, a state-mandated policy that must be posted by Aug. 1. The vote and discussion clarified implementation timelines, communication plans and accommodations for individual needs.
The Williamsville Central School District Board of Education voted unanimously on July 1 to adopt Policy 73-16, “Use of Internet-Enabled Devices During the School Day,” retiring earlier district policies (2015) on the topic and beginning implementation for the 2025–26 school year.
Superintendent Dr. Darren Brownhall told the board the policy is required by state action and must be in place and reported to the State Education Department: “This policy is not up for debate. The governor made it very clear. She was going to enact it last December… then it was attached to the state budget.” The district received more than 200 public comments during a comment period that closed June 24; the committee met June 25 to review feedback and propose wording now before the board.
Board members discussed communication and enforcement. Dr. Brownhall said schools will provide students access to phones in main offices and enable parent–school messaging through the WICs parent portal. He cautioned that the first weeks of implementation will require “grace” as staff and students adapt. The student board member who served on the district committee summarized student reaction: “students are pretty pissed about it,” but added that the district could “turn it into something positive.”
Board members asked how individual exemptions will be handled. Dr. Brownhall said accommodations for students with Individualized Education Programs or other documented needs will be addressed at the district level by special education directors in coordination with the assistant superintendent and legal counsel. Building-level procedures for day-to-day enforcement will be developed to be consistent across elementary, middle and high schools.
The board approved the policy at second reading and voted to retire prior policies; a separate policy about maximum temperature for school buildings (Policy 56-85) was given a first reading and its second reading was postponed to the Aug. 12 meeting.
The district will post the adopted policy and must report adoption to the State Education Department by Aug. 1; implementation begins with the 2025–26 school year.
