Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cellphone Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
SHAC and MAST recommend grade‑band cell‑phone expectations; board to await legislative clarity before formal adoption
Summary
The School Health Advisory Council and MAST recommended a grade‑band approach (sample B) to limit student phone use during instruction. The superintendent asked trustees to review recommendations and said staff will wait for any legislative mandate before seeking formal board action.
Midway ISD staff presented School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and MAST committee work on student cell‑phone expectations and told trustees both bodies favored a graded policy that restricts phone use during instructional time and allows limited use at non‑instructional times.
Anne Marie (staff member) summarized SHAC’s four meetings and said the committee reviewed parent and staff surveys, sample policies and legislative language. She said SHAC examined options and that both SHAC and MAST favored "sample B," a model that tightens restrictions for younger students and provides more limited freedoms for older students.
Dr. Allen (superintendent) explained the implementation choices and legal context: the district typically places expectations in the student handbook or Student Code of Conduct (the latter is board‑approved and carries more formal weight). He said the board was not being asked to adopt a policy at the meeting and that staff would wait for any clear legislative requirements before bringing a formal policy forward. "We're not asking the board for any approvals tonight," he said, noting pending state legislation might require boards to adopt a policy.
Under the SHAC/MAST recommendation, pre‑K through fifth‑grade expectations would be most restrictive (no classroom use), grades 6–8 would permit limited use before school, during dismissal and on buses, and grades 9–12 would allow supervised, limited use in transition times and cafeterias while keeping phones out of instruction. The committees also suggested accommodations for health needs and other exceptions.
Board members sought clarity on logistics such as whether classrooms would use phone bins or backpacks; trustees and staff said classroom‑level implementation could vary and that the district will seek teacher input and consider costs for options such as classroom caddies or bins. Several trustees said they wanted a full board discussion and approval of final language once legislative clarity is available.
Ending: Staff will hold the recommendation for incorporation into the handbook or Student Code of Conduct after seeking any necessary legal guidance and will return with draft language or an ordinance for board consideration once the Legislature’s session outcome is known.
