Kuna schools report positive early results from cell-phone policy; teachers report higher engagement
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Summary
Administrators told the board the new cell-phone policy is showing positive anecdotal results: teachers report more engagement and fewer students buried in phones at lunch; administration will compile behavior data after a semester for formal comparison.
Robbie Reno delivered an update on the district—s new cell-phone policy, saying teachers report improved classroom engagement and students show more social interaction during lunch.
Reno said the program has produced very few individualized plans so far—"out of 1,840 kids ish, depending on what, just 2"—and daily phone incidents vary by day but are not overwhelming. "It's going really positive," Reno said, adding that teachers are not confiscating phones; they send incidents to security and follow a stepped process.
Why it matters: The board sought early evidence the policy was not creating excessive instructional disruption when devices require retrieval. Trustees asked about behavior and bullying impacts and whether teacher time is lost to managing phones. Reno said staff expect to analyze behavior data at the end of the semester and will return with comparative figures.
Administrative notes: The policy included related changes to attendance and tardy procedures; administrators bought Chromebooks and some digital cameras to reduce legitimate instructional needs for phones. Parents have largely supported the policy, Reno said, though a few disagreed.
Next steps: Staff will compile semester-to-semester behavior and academic data to assess policy impact and return with a report.