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Ithaca schools plan community engagement on proposed cell-phone rules as state weighs mandate
Summary
District staff presented options and a community-engagement plan for a potential cell-phone policy after the governor's statewide listening tour; the district will seek student, caregiver and staff input in January–February and may recommend actions in March.
Mary Grover, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, and Carrie Burke, director of health services and wellness, updated the board Dec. 17 on district work to consider a cell-phone policy in light of statewide attention.
Grover and Burke described convenings this fall that included union leaders, building administrators and board members; they said the district is trying to balance student mental-health concerns and classroom distractions with the need for caregiver access and use of devices for medical or safety reasons. The presenters cited U.S. Department of Education guidance and examples from other districts and states and said 19 states already have some restrictions or requirements for school districts.
District staff said they are not proposing a final policy at this meeting but intend to gather broader input: they will add prompts to the ICSD Insider and the district’s Let’s Talk portal, coordinate forums with PTAs, and add questions to the district’s end-of-year survey. Burke said the district will prioritize student and caregiver voices.
As to timing, staff told the board they anticipate concentrated outreach in January and February and plan to return recommendations to the policy committee in March; staff also noted that any statewide mandate from the governor could change the required timeline and content.
Board members raised practical concerns including how to avoid disproportionate discipline and how to ensure students who need devices for accessibility or medical reasons retain access. Staff pointed to pilot options other districts have used — including short, time-limited bans as trials — and said the policy committee will continue developing criteria and possible pilot timelines.
The board did not vote on policy at the Dec. 17 meeting. Officials said revisions will be iterative and grounded in community feedback and federal guidance.
"We want to center the voice of students, caregivers, and staff in considering what ultimately a district policy might be on this topic," Burke said.
