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District adopts phased, grade‑span approach to personal‑device use; phones to be stowed during instruction
Summary
After a year of stakeholder input, the district presented an administrative rule for personal electronic devices that emphasizes consistency, PBIS integration and a phased approach by grade span: elementary devices stowed, middle-school devices in backpacks or lockers with an end‑of‑day check window, and high‑school students permitted more choice.
The education committee reviewed an administrative rule implementing the district's electronic-device policy. District staff said the guideline is the result of a year-long planning process that included parents, students, teachers and community stakeholders and is designed to reduce classroom distractions while teaching students responsible device use.
Key elements: the rule differentiates expectations by grade span. In elementary schools, personal electronic devices are to be powered down or placed on Do Not Disturb and kept in backpacks. The middle school is transitioning students to keep devices in backpacks or lockers for most of the day and has a short pre-dismissal window for checking messages (staff cited a 1:55–2:00 p.m. check-in example). At the high school, students are expected to keep phones away during instructional time but are permitted more choices about storing or checking phones between classes or in the cafeteria; some teachers provide in-class charging stations if students want to secure devices.
Rationale and evidence: staff said the rule is based on research about attention and task switching and that reducing device proximity improves cognitive focus. The district stressed consistent enforcement and alignment with positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and encouraged staff to rely on district-provided Chromebooks for instructional technology when possible.
Oversight and communication: the district has posted the future-ready technology plan and expectations to the web page and sent a newsletter to families at the start of the school year. Technology staff and the impact-of-technology team plan further family-facing sessions and community partner briefings during the school year.
Reaction: board members and staff said the phased approach trains students to manage devices rather than imposing a blanket ban; some members noted other states have pursued more restrictive bans but praised this approach as teaching long-term digital-responsibility skills. District staff said they will monitor and adjust the rule as needed.
