Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Shawnee Mission board adopts age‑differentiated limits on personal electronic devices; policy JCDC to take effect in February
Summary
After weeks of study and public comment, the board approved policy JCDC restricting student personal electronic device use during the school day with a 6–1 vote; student handbooks were revised and other administrative steps set a Feb. 3 implementation date.
The Shawnee Mission School District Board of Education on Jan. 13 approved a new policy limiting student use of personal electronic devices during the school day, adopting policy JCDC by a 6–1 vote.
Board leaders framed the policy as an age‑appropriate effort to protect instructional time and give teachers consistent authority. The policy requires elementary and middle school students to store personal devices in backpacks, lockers or designated areas during the school day; middle school students may briefly check devices during passing periods at their lockers. High school expectations focus on protecting instructional time; the administration said teachers will not be allowed to permit device use for non‑instructional purposes during class.
"Anything that we do in the school district ought to serve student achievement," Superintendent Dr. Schumacher told the board while summarizing the administration's recommendation. The administration proposed the age‑differentiated approach after an action team produced separate recommendations…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
