Kirkwood officials prepare December policy change to comply with Missouri Senate Bill 68 on student devices

KIRKWOOD, Mo. — Kirkwood School District officials on Aug. 4 described a draft personal-electronics policy designed to meet the requirements of Senate Bill 68 and explained how it would be implemented for the 2025–26 school year.

The district’s presentation said the statute “requires each school district shall adopt a written policy governing a student's possession or use of an electronic personal communications device” and that the law “must prohibit a student from displaying or using an electronic personal communications device from the beginning of the school day until the end of the school day, including but not limited to instructional time, meal times, breaks, times between classes, and during study hall.” Dr. Bailey and other staff emphasized that the statute’s timeline was accelerated to take effect for 2025–26 after a last‑minute amendment to the bill, which shortened the district’s rollout window.

District staff told the board the law’s definition of covered devices is broad — it includes smartphones and many smart wearable devices and can reach earbuds that receive data by Bluetooth. The draft policy will allow two categories of exceptions: individual, documented medical or educational exceptions (for example, devices incorporated into an IEP/504 or documented medical plan) and teacher‑requested, preauthorized instructional uses that must be routed through a building administrator.

Implementation, enforcement and instructional workarounds were central to the discussion. Dr. Harrell of Kirkwood High School told the board that the high school convened teachers, parents and students for input and that “this is a significant change to high school campus” routines; he said staff expect the greatest enforcement and logistical challenges in hallway passing periods and at lunch on the high‑school campus.

District staff described proposed consequences as a “menu of choices” that are not strictly progressive: repeated warnings and parent contact are the likely first responses, with confiscation handled primarily in offices rather than by classroom teachers. Dr. Bailey said principals generally do not want to remove students from class and offered this summary: initial responses will tend to be warnings and parent notification, with office‑level handling for repeated or refusal‑to‑comply incidents.

Technical and instructional issues also shaped the board’s questions and staff proposals. The district said it is exploring alternatives that would allow teachers to continue legitimate instructional uses previously enabled by students’ phones, including allocating iPads or enabling filtered access on student laptops so instruction can continue without widespread phone use. Staff also said some teachers had relied on students’ phones as a quick workaround when school filters or internet access failed.

District communications lead Miss Diedrich described a targeted messaging plan that includes a standalone communication to families with frequently asked questions; separate school‑level messages for high school and elementary audiences; talking points for front office staff; and posters for secondary and elementary schools addressing smartwatches and earbud policies. She told the board, “this does not include time on a bus or riding a bike or walking to and from school,” noting the law’s in‑transit allowances for families.

Board members pushed staff for clarity on enforcement and equity concerns. Several board members urged that confiscation not be a classroom responsibility and that disciplinary consequences avoid unnecessarily excluding students from instruction. One board member said she would vote no on the policy on principle but acknowledged the district must comply with state law.

Staff said the draft policy will return for formal board action and that the district plans to publish final rules and communications before the start of school so families and staff have time to prepare. The district also said it will review the policy and its data after the first semester and adjust procedures if necessary.

What’s next: The board will receive the finalized policy for a vote at a future business meeting; staff said they aim to have the communication materials and FAQ ready for families before school opens.