Shawnee Mission reports early drop in referrals after new personal electronic device policy

Shawnee Mission School District officials provided the board an update on implementation of the district’s personal electronic device policy and reported early declines in discipline referrals after putting the policy into practice.

The policy, adopted earlier by the district and implemented in buildings in February, treats grade levels differently: elementary schools have a school‑day ban; middle schools allow device checks only at lockers during passing periods; and high schools “protect instructional time” by requiring devices be put away during lessons while allowing use during passing periods and lunch, district leaders said.

Superintendent Dr. Jason Schumacher told the board the policy was placed in district strategy 4 (technology) after several months of committee work and community input. Schumacher said the committee prioritized “consistent enforcement” as the central goal when reconciling two broad community positions — a complete bell‑to‑bell ban and controlled access.

Dr. Kelly Capper, who described middle‑school implementation at Indian Hills, said administrators took primary responsibility for enforcement so teachers could focus on instruction. Capper said staff used a Securly pass and locker checks and that administrators handled compliance conversations. “We just had conversations with kids. We just talked to them like they're humans,” Capper said, adding that teachers were told not to make enforcement their primary task.

District leaders presented preliminary referral data comparing the first three weeks after the policy’s initial implementation with the first three weeks of the current school year. The district reported middle‑school referrals fell from 13% in the first three weeks after implementation to 6% in the first three weeks of this school year; high‑school referrals fell from 26% to 20% in the same comparative windows, Dr. Schumacher said.

Capper also cited classroom measures she described as early indicators: she said one school predicted 3% MAP growth but reported 11% growth after the change. Capper characterized that as correlational evidence rather than proof of causation, and she asked the board for time to collect longitudinal data before recommending major policy tweaks.

High‑school leaders described a mix of tactics for managing downtime and transitions — teachers and students reintroducing reading, games such as UNO, and other low‑tech activities during unstructured periods. Dr. Grama (high‑school leader) said many teachers adopted phone caddies and that staff reported clearer expectations and improved classroom participation.

Board members asked about gray areas such as Kindles and other e‑readers; district leaders said they consider intent and internet access when deciding whether a device is treated like a phone. The board also discussed safety: Capper and other leaders said the policy supports safety by ensuring students attend to adults’ instructions during emergencies rather than looking at screens.

Board member Garcia asked how teachers redirect students who finish work early; Grama noted librarians, art and structured activities were among the options being re‑used by teachers. Several board members urged letting the policy “get legs” districtwide and collecting more data before reconsidering major changes.

District leaders said they will continue work on a developmental guide for age‑appropriate technology use and an evidence‑based framework for evaluating educational technologies.

The board heard the update during a regularly scheduled meeting; no new formal action on the policy was taken that evening.