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District 15 smartphone committee recommends classroom phone separation, policy change and parent education
Summary
A staff-led Smartphone at School Committee presented research showing physical separation from phones improves learning and proposed updates to policy 7:190 to require phones stored away during instructional time. The district plans professional development, parent workshops and a phased rollout while noting new state law requiring
Palatine CCSD 15 officials and the district Smartphone at School Committee told trustees on Wednesday that classroom learning is impaired even by the mere presence of students’ smartphones and recommended a policy requiring phones be stored away during instructional time.
A staff member identified in the meeting as MJ presented the committee’s findings and cited research summarizing experimental studies that found “actual physical separation from the phone was the only effective solution,” meaning that having devices out of the students’ immediate reach produced the best academic outcomes. MJ said the committee’s recommendations are intended to support students’ attention, mental health and classroom climate and to create consistency across classrooms.
The committee asked trustees to update Board policy 7:190 (Smartphones at School) to clarify that…
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