Dallas Center-Grimes board approves emergency electronic‑device policy; debates mental‑health absence coding

The Dallas Center‑Grimes Community School District Board of Education approved an emergency reading of an electronic‑device policy and completed a first reading of the 2025–26 student handbook at a special meeting, and board members spent substantial time discussing how mental‑health absences should be coded and tracked.

District administrators said the emergency electronic‑device policy must be adopted before the start of school so consistent language – including coverage for kindergarten through grade 12 – is in place. “This is our… electronic, device policy that needs to be in place before the start of school,” a district administrator said during the meeting, adding the policy aligns practices across buildings and extends device restrictions to elementary schools.

The policy language was submitted as an emergency reading so it could be approved ahead of school opening. Board members approved the emergency reading by voice vote.

Board members then approved a first reading of additional district policies (the 5 and 100 series) and took a first reading of the student handbook for the 2025–26 school year. Administrators told the…