Excelsior Springs schools set new rules to implement Missouri's SB68; district readies staff and families

Excelsior Springs School District officials told the school board they are preparing to implement Senate Bill 68, the state law that restricts student use of personal electronic devices in schools, and described steps to help staff and families adapt.

The superintendent's office said the law "was passed by the legislature and approved by the governor" and that secondary schools will see the biggest changes. School administrators said they will emphasize communication with families and increased adult supervision during the first weeks of the school year.

Why this matters: SB68 changes how secondary schools may permit or restrict student cell phone and wearable-device use during the school day. District leaders said the policy affects classroom management, passing periods and lunch supervision and will require outreach to families and additional staff presence in student common areas.

Administrators explained the district's approach and expectations. "Our take on it is gonna be, to put the cell phones away and focus on learning," a district administrator told the board, adding that signs will be placed on classroom doors and that staff will receive guidance during pre-school training.

District officials said the legislation limits local discretion on whether devices may be carried or used; it allows access for emergencies and provides limited exceptions. Board members and administrators discussed how parents should communicate urgent information to students during the school day: administrators recommended parents contact the school office so staff can relay time-sensitive messages.

The board and staff also discussed practical steps the district is taking: placing visible signage, reminding staff to model the rules, using district-provided devices (for example, iPads) where needed for emergency alerts, and adding temporary supervisory staff in lunchrooms and passing periods to smooth the transition.

The board heard that neighboring districts and the Missouri School Boards Association have been sharing guidance. In a statewide update included earlier in the meeting, John McDonald of the Center for Education Safety advised districts not to rush into buying commercial products marketed as "SB68 compliance" solutions. "What I'm sharing with everybody here is don't buy a thing," McDonald said, adding that "the cost is in the effort" of implementation rather than in immediate hardware purchases.

Board members said they expect some parent and student questions and noted the district will treat the start of implementation as a learning period. Administrators said school staff will enforce discipline consistently under the new policy but also will work with families on logistics and emergency communication.

The board approved updates to building handbooks at the same meeting to align local policy text with the new rules; the handbook approvals were voted separately.