Cleveland City Schools board approves stricter personal wireless device policy, adds annual effectiveness report

Cleveland City Schools Board of Education — The board voted unanimously to approve changes to Policy 6.312, “Use of Personal Wireless Communication Devices,” adding a local requirement that the director of schools provide an annual report in June on the policy’s effectiveness and implementation data.

Why it matters: The policy change, described by district staff as stricter than the state minimum, governs student use of cell phones and similar devices during instructional time. Board members said they want data on whether the policy increases engagement, reduces disciplinary referrals and improves attendance before considering additional enforcement steps.

The discussion and amendment: During the public policy review, a board member asked why the district was “going above and beyond” the state law and how the district would measure results. Director of Schools Doctor Elliott said the district has heard staff and family feedback supporting stronger limits and outlined metrics the administration plans to track: test results, active engagement observations, discipline referrals, attendance rates and teacher- and family-provided feedback. Elliott said Cleveland Middle School has required students to store phones in lockers for about four years and that the high school changes will represent the biggest shift.

Board members debated monitoring and interim reporting. One board member asked for an annual evaluation, and other members requested preliminary updates sooner. The board added specific language to the policy requiring the director to provide a report each June to the board on “the effectiveness of the program and data regarding its implementation.” District staff agreed to provide additional updates to the board during the semester as implementation begins.

Implementation details discussed: The board and staff clarified operational procedures: when a phone is confiscated, an administrator is expected to notify the parent or guardian by phone and hold the device for pickup; staff said that in prior years about 30 confiscated phones remained unclaimed. The administration acknowledged it has considered alternatives such as lockable pouches and said such measures remain options if data show the initial approach is ineffective.

Votes and process: The board approved the bundle of policies that included the cell‑phone policy as part of a first-and-final reading vote. The roll call on that motion recorded the following “yes” votes: Jody Riggins, Nate Tucker, Renee Diamond, Matt Coleman, Carolyn Ingram, Andy Lay and Peggy Pesterfield. The motion carried.

What the policy requires now: The added reporting language reads, in substance, that the director of schools shall provide an annual June report to the Cleveland City School Board of Education regarding the policy’s effectiveness and implementation data. Staff said they will track the parameters mentioned above and gather teacher and family feedback during the year.

Context and next steps: Board members asked the administration to provide interim updates at upcoming board meetings during the semester and review more detailed data in June. District staff said they will monitor classroom engagement and discipline metrics and solicit anecdotal feedback from teachers and families as the policy is implemented.

Ending: The cell‑phone policy change is effective as approved; the board directed staff to return periodic implementation updates and the formal June effectiveness report as spelled out in the amended policy.