Committee lays over stricter student mobile-device policy for continued review after administrators say some buildings already prepared

The Policy Committee advanced revised language on student use of mobile phones and personal electronic devices for a first reading and committee layover, building toward districtwide enforcement that administrators say some schools have already begun implementing.

Board member Juan Romero framed the draft as an attempt to remove ambiguity and increase classroom focus, citing research that the presence of phones reduces attention: "Even just having a presence of a phone even sitting on a desk ... it still impairs the student's ability to learn." Romero proposed a no-tolerance framework that would require phones be secured at the start of the school day and remain inaccessible until the final bell, with narrowly drawn exceptions for medical devices.

Administrators and building staff described current practices and operational constraints. Miss Beavers said principals have been preparing building-specific plans; she read language from a letter that Belle Academy (BLA) had already shared with families establishing that devices "will be secured before the academic day begins and will not be permitted in classroom hallways, common areas, or bathrooms during the school day." She confirmed every student is assigned a locker but noted not every student uses theirs.

Dr. Garrison and Miss Beavers emphasized that enforcement has been uneven historically and that building-level buy-in and clear communications to families are critical. The committee asked administrators to compile enforcement data (incidents coded as electronic-device violations) and collaborate with principals before the next reading. Romero said exceptions for medical devices must be preserved; the draft requires medical documentation when students use devices for health monitoring.

The draft references Wisconsin statute 118.258 and Assembly Bill 2 (2025) as relevant context for restricting student phone usage during instructional time. Committee members also discussed practical storage options such as pouches or classroom drop boxes and noted costs and circumvention risks.

Action: the committee moved approval of the proposed revisions for first reading and layover for the committee’s second reading; the motion carried 3-0. Staff will compile building-level letters (such as BLA’s), violation data, and legal guidance for the committee’s next review.