District unveils draft student cell‑phone policy to meet new 2024 state law

The school board reviewed a first reading of proposed revisions to Policy 503 (Student Rights and Responsibilities) that add explicit, districtwide rules for student cell phones in response to a 2024 state law requiring districts to adopt such policies by March 15, 2025.

Jill Coyle, who presented the draft policy, said the district’s current approach — existing handbook language and individual school rules — will largely remain, but the draft places those rules in board policy and refines language for consistency. "The changes primarily relate to student possession of cell phones in school," Coyle said.

Key policy points in the draft - General rule: students should keep cell phones out of sight during the instructional day; teachers may permit phones for explicit instructional uses. - High‑school exception: responsible cell‑phone use during passing time and lunch remains a permitted privilege for high‑school students; schools may set additional site rules. - Prohibitions: use of cell phones in bathrooms and locker rooms is restricted; use that violates other district policies (bullying, harassment, privacy) is prohibited. - Discipline and confiscation: the policy outlines potential discipline steps, confiscation protocols and loss of carry privileges for repeated violations. - Accommodations and emergencies: administrators can grant exceptions for emergencies or disability‑related accommodations.

Next steps Coyle said the draft also contains a few technical, non‑cell‑phone edits and that the policy will return for a second reading and board action at the March meeting. She said schools will continue to communicate implementation details to families and staff.

Ending Board members asked for clarifications and Coyle said the draft is intended to align handbook practice with the new statutory requirement and to preserve site flexibility for specifics.