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Ashland City Schools to revise attendance and cellphone policies after state guidance
Summary
Superintendent Ben Paramore told the board the district will update student handbooks to reflect state changes: attendance will be hours-based (30/48/72-hour thresholds) and a revised cell-phone policy will prohibit personal device use during instructional time, including lunch and transitions; board action is expected at future meetings.
Superintendent Ben Paramore presented two policy updates the district will implement to align with recent state guidance.
Attendance policy (first reading): The state revised its approach to truancy within the biennium budget; Ashland City Schools will adopt hours-based thresholds. Under the change, 30 total hours of absence triggers a "friendly nudge" letter to families, 48 hours requires an absence-intervention meeting that includes the parent, attendance officer and building administration, and 72 hours may open the possibility of court intervention. Paramore emphasized staff will differentiate cases involving documented medical conditions and will use compassionate interventions and external agency partners when needed. The district will revise student handbooks and return the updates for board approval; the superintendent noted the first reading is to comply with a September 30 update timeline for handbooks.
Personal communication devices (cell phones): Paramore said the state model policy treats lunch and class transitions as instructional time. The district's current high-school practice that allowed phone use at lunch and during transitions will be changed: students will be prohibited from using personal communication devices during the instructional day except during school-related events and functions (for example, at after-school activities). The superintendent said exceptions will remain for health monitoring and emergencies and staff will accommodate students who need to use a phone in the office. The board will review the adopted language at the regular September meeting with an expected effective date (per discussion) by Jan. 1.
Neither update was voted on at the Aug. 25 meeting; they were presented as first readings or planned revisions.
