Urbandale board reviews new student device policy, debates enforcement, exceptions and grade bands

Urbandale, Iowa — The Urbandale Community School District Board of Directors spent much of its meeting discussing a first reading of a new personal and electronic device policy that would set districtwide limits on students' phone use during the school day.

Board members and district staff framed the draft policy as an effort to reduce classroom disruptions and give teachers consistent expectations. Superintendent (title listed in agenda) described the draft as “completely brand new,” saying the district used Department of Education guidance and legal review to ensure it met required elements.

The policy would define the school day “between the first bell and the last bell,” and set age- and grade-band-specific rules: elementary students would generally not be permitted to use phones during the school day, middle school students would not be allowed to have them during instructional…