Shawnee Mission board opens first read on districtwide personal device policy after months of input

The Shawnee Mission School District Board of Education on Dec. 9 moved to treat a proposed district policy limiting student use of personal electronic devices as a first reading and asked administration to return with clarified language by Jan. 13.

Superintendent Dr. Mike Schumacher framed the recommendation around an action-team report and a district thought exchange that drew “about 4,700 participants who shared 3,600 thoughts and 75,000 ratings,” a dataset he said helped the team identify both strong support for stricter enforcement and sizable concern about safety and access during emergencies.

The superintendent described the proposal as age‑differentiated: at the elementary level, “all personal electronic devices will be stored during the school day”; at the middle school level devices would be kept in lockers or a designated area but could be checked at lockers during passing periods; and at the high school level the recommendation would “protect instructional time” by requiring devices other than smart watches to be put away during classes. Dr. Schumacher said building principals told him they can implement the district'wide approach with training and supports.

Board members asked detailed questions about enforcement, equity and disability accommodations. Board member Jamie Owsley urged the board to ensure a clear process for 504 accommodations, saying “students with disabilities have a right under the law to reasonable accommodations” and pressing administrators to explain how medical or disability-related device needs would be handled. District staff said they had drafted language for the district's 504 webpage and described the established timeline for a 504 evaluation (an administrator responds within 10 school days; up to 60 school days to complete an evaluation) and the capacity to expedite clear medical needs.

Several trustees emphasized the need to avoid punitive outcomes that could widen discipline disparities. Trustee Embry said she did not want “students getting a suspension at the elementary level for a first-time level‑1 infraction,” and asked for explicit guidance tying device violations to the district discipline matrix. Administration replied that enforcement would generally route through existing insubordination channels while principals calibrate consistent, progressive consequences.

Trustees also debated the feasibility of a bell‑to‑bell phone ban at large high schools, with administrators noting logistical hurdles such as locker availability and building size. Assistant principals and principals who pilot similar rules at some middle schools said those sites had not reported increased tardiness when students retrieve items from lockers.

The board approved a motion to accept Superintendent Schumacher's recommendation to bring back a revised policy for a second reading Jan. 13, and directed staff to provide clearer definitions of “instructional time,” device types, and a discipline application matrix. The motion passed unanimously.

Administration said it will also begin communications and teacher-support planning to accompany any future policy change so staff have tools to implement expectations consistently.

The matter will return to the board for final action after the scheduled review and community input.