Hillsboro R-III board reviews Senate Bill 68 safety provisions and proposed ban on student cellphones during instruction; policy tabled

At a recent Hillsboro R-III Board of Education meeting, trustees discussed implementation of safety provisions in Senate Bill 68 and a proposed change to the district's personal-communication-device policy that would prohibit student cellphone use during instructional time.

Board members said most of the bill's safety requirements align with current district practice. The district’s safety coordinator, Mr. Ramsey, and staff member Miss Woodham have worked on safety protocols and CPR training that the board said put the district “in really good shape” for much of the bill’s requirements. Dr. Drew, a district administrator, told the board the district already has many of the required plans and secure-entrance practices in place.

The discussion focused on the policy language that would treat cellphones and similar personal devices as prohibited during instruction. “The big one that is cell phone use is no longer permitted, during the instruction,” a presiding board member said during the meeting. Board discussion covered how the rule would be enforced, where devices should be stored during the school day, exceptions for approved educational uses, and technical monitoring limits when students are off the district network.

Why it matters: Board members said the change…