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Superintendent flags state budget changes and proposed school phone ban for board review
Summary
Superintendent Gavin told the Rockville Centre Board the state budget may change the foundation aid formula and that the governor's proposal could require districts to adopt a summer policy banning personal internet-connected devices during school hours.
Superintendent Gavin reported to the Rockville Centre Board of Education on Feb. 6 that the state is reviewing recommendations that could change the foundation aid formula and described a separate governor's proposal to restrict student use of personal internet-connected devices during school hours.
"The state is in the process of developing their budget and considering which of the recommendations from the Rockefeller Foundation to implement," Superintendent Gavin said, adding that the district would host its annual legislator meeting in early March to explain potential ramifications. He told the board the district hopes legislators will avoid a formula that creates budget deficits for local districts.
Gavin also described a proposal included in the governor's budget that would ban cell phones and other personal internet-connected devices during school hours. He warned that the proposal's language could extend beyond phones to cover smart watches and privately owned laptops. "The devil is in the details," Gavin said, noting uncertainty about whether devices such as Apple Watches or personally owned MacBooks would be affected and that he expected the board to await legislative text before adopting any policy change.
Gavin said the governor's proposal could require boards of education to adopt a policy, possibly in the summer, for implementation the following school year. "One of the things that's included in this budget is the idea that as a board of education, there would have to be a policy that we adopt sometime during the summer for implementation for next year," he told the board.
Board members acknowledged the announcement and said they would follow legislation and the district's legal guidance as language develops. The superintendent did not propose a specific district policy at the meeting; he described the report to alert the board and prepare for legislative outreach in March.
Ending
Superintendent Gavin said the district will continue monitoring the budget process and provide updates; the board scheduled an annual legislator meeting in early March to discuss potential impacts on local funding if the state adopts changes to the foundation formula.
