Parkrose board begins policy work on incoming state cellphone restriction; staff to draft classroom procedures

Parkrose School District board members spent significant time on Tuesday discussing how to implement a likely new state law that would limit personal electronic devices in classrooms, and directed staff to bring a draft administrative procedure for review before the school year.

Chair Rivas told the board the measure most often discussed at the state level is House Bill 2251, which would prohibit in-class use of personal devices and require districts to establish consistent local policies and Division 22 compliance. "One important question is: what does 'off and away' look like?" Rivas said during a presentation and proposed that board members, staff and students work together over the next weeks on a district template for fall implementation.

The board emphasized teacher training, consistent classroom routines and minimizing confrontations between staff and students. Administrators and board members raised several practical approaches that have appeared in staff discussions: phones placed in pockets, in lockers where available, or collected in classroom bins at the start of class. District leaders cautioned that each approach carries trade-offs: using lockers is not feasible at the high school because many students lack lockers; collecting phones in teachers'care raises concerns about staff time and safety of confiscated devices.

Board members asked staff to produce a clear, simplified enforcement ladder so teachers are not left to enforce complex multi-step discipline procedures. Chair Rivas said the district must build straightforward documentation and staff training so teachers know whether to warn, document and escalate. "We do not want an environment where teachers are in a full-out brawl with a student because they're trying to get the kid's phone," she said.

The board also discussed accommodations: the law allows exemptions for students who require devices under an Individualized Education Program or Section 504 plan, and staff will need guidance to recognize and apply those exemptions.

Next steps: District staff will prepare draft administrative rules that specify classroom expectations, documentation and progressive responses for misuse, and will bring those drafts to a May work session with student representatives and building-level staff. The board asked staff to include parent-communication language explaining the new expectations and to recommend teacher training and a short timeline for phased implementation.

Quotation: "If you're busted in class for using your cell phone... we want a process that supports teachers and does not escalate into physical confrontations," Chair Rivas said. "The law also allows for exemptions if a student has an IEP or a 504 plan," a staff member added.

Ending: The board set a process to refine rules over the summer and asked that students, middle- and high-school teachers, and building administrators be included in the drafting so the district has concrete procedures before the 2025'26 school year.