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Board committee previews state-mandated ban on internet-enabled devices; high school to use lockers
Summary
The policy committee is drafting a district policy to comply with new New York State rules restricting internet-enabled devices in schools; board members said high school students will likely be asked to store phones and smart watches in lockers, with BYOD classroom exceptions for district devices.
The Rye City School District’s policy committee told the board June 3 it is drafting a policy to comply with New York State law restricting “internet-enabled devices” such as cell phones, smart watches and tablets during school hours.
The committee said the law leaves limited local discretion but that the district is developing rules to minimize disruption while complying with the statute. For grades K–8, the committee said the policy will not materially change current practice. For the high school, the draft under discussion would require students to store cell phones and smart watches in lockers during the school day; district-provided laptops and BYOD devices intended for instructional use would remain a permitted exception.
Board members discussed implementation logistics. One board member asked whether all seniors have lockers; policy members replied that the high school has a locker and lock available for every student. The committee said staff and student government had been consulted and that faculty previews have already occurred.
The policy committee plans to present a draft for board review at the board’s June 17 meeting and must finalize the district policy by Aug. 1 to meet state timelines.
