Monroe-Woodbury board adopts statewide "distraction-free" device policy; district to buy lockable pouches

The Monroe‑Woodbury Central School District Board of Education voted July 23 to adopt a district policy banning the use of internet‑enabled personal devices during the instructional day, complying with a recently enacted state law and a state adoption deadline of Aug. 1, 2025. The board also approved implementation steps including the purchase of lockable pouches to secure students’ phones and similar devices.

The district presentation said the law is part of the 2026 state budget and requires public schools to bar internet‑enabled devices during the bell‑to‑bell instructional day. “The most important requirement ... is a ban on a use of Internet enabled personal devices in K‑12 schools, throughout the entire instructional day,” the district presenter said. District staff told the board the state has allocated $13,500,000 statewide to help districts pay for storage solutions; Monroe‑Woodbury’s share is about $36,000.

Why it matters: District and union representatives said removing device access during class time can increase student engagement, reduce disciplinary referrals and bullying, and improve student social interaction. The board adopted the policy at a meeting that included detailed operational questions from parents and trustees about exemptions, pouch mechanics, costs and discipline.

What the policy requires and who is affected: The district’s draft policy lists covered devices as phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, internet‑connected accessories, e‑readers and music devices. Under the adopted approach, elementary students are encouraged to leave covered devices at home; middle and high school students will be issued individual lockable pouches to keep with them but not access during class. The presenter described one commercially available magnetic‑lock pouch (identified in the presentation as the Yonder pouch) that students lock and later unlock at designated stations.

Exemptions and accessibility: The board heard that the policy will include exemptions for medical and disability‑related needs. When asked about English‑language learners, the presenter said the district is evaluating options such as district device translators and Google Translate on district devices to preserve necessary instructional supports.

Costs, timeline and logistics: District staff told the board the total local cost for initial pouch purchases is about $125,000; the state payment of roughly $36,000 will partially offset that. The district plans to provide pouches to current grades 6–12 this year and thereafter buy pouches only for incoming sixth graders. District staff said they expect two free pouches per student initially, with a potential $30 replacement charge for a third pouch; that replacement policy is under legal review.

Discipline, data and communications: The board was told the district will update its code of conduct to reflect the new policy and will publish de‑identified disciplinary data next summer as required by the state. Staff described a communications plan that will include emails to families, FAQ pages on the district website, videos, and school‑level outreach before the start of the school year.

Board and public questions: Board members and parents asked about pouch durability, whether magnets or counterfeit unlocking tools could be used by students, whether the unlocking bases are battery‑powered or wall‑mounted, and how the district will handle forgotten pouches. The presenter acknowledged implementation will require adjustments during the first weeks of school and asked for patience from parents and staff. The presenter said building administrators are designing flow and unlocking station location plans and that district teams visited other districts to study best practices.

Implementation oversight: The presenter said the district will not add staff immediately but will redeploy existing security and support staff as needed and will track and report outcomes. Trustees asked that the board receive updates after the initial rollout.

Ending: The board approved waiving first and second readings and adopted the students and personal electronic devices policy at the July 23 meeting. Staff said more details on the code of conduct changes, logistics and data collection will follow before the start of the school year.