Wake County board revises student wireless-device policy language, adds guidance for smartwatches and smart glasses

The Wake County Public School System policy committee voted to place a revision to Policy 4318, Student Use of Wireless Communication Devices, on the Nov. 18 consent agenda for first reading.

The revised text aligns the policy with state statutory language by replacing the prior phrase requiring devices to be “silent” with the statutory minimum that devices “be turned off” during instructional time. Staff also clarified that the policy does not apply to district-issued and managed devices or to personally owned laptop computers used exclusively for instructional purposes, consistent with the district’s Technology Responsible Use policy (32‑25).

Committee members raised operational questions during the discussion. Board member Miss Evans and others asked whether the policy would prevent students from using personally owned laptops for instruction; staff answered it would not. Members asked how the rule would apply to newer wearable technologies. Several board members asked whether prescription smart glasses and smartwatches should be treated differently because lenses may be used without power. Staff proposed, and the committee agreed to include, a sentence clarifying that smartwatches and smart glasses may be worn and used as watches and glasses throughout the school day but that any features that require wireless communications must be disabled.

Board members asked for the revision to sit on the Nov. 18 consent agenda for first reading rather than appear earlier so the public would have time to review the change related to smart glasses. The committee agreed and moved the item to the November consent calendar.

The committee did not adopt new substantive disciplinary or enforcement mechanisms during the discussion. Staff directed administrators who restrict a parent’s personally owned instructional laptop to escalate the matter to central services if the principal is not following the adopted board policy.

Next steps: staff will post the revised policy language for public review and present the item on the Nov. 18 consent agenda for first reading.