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Piedmont board adopts bell-to-bell ban on student personal electronic devices to comply with new state law
Summary
The Piedmont School District board voted to adopt a revised personal electronic device policy to comply with a recently signed state law imposing a bell-to-bell ban; administrators outlined tiered consequences, quarterly resets to limit absenteeism impacts and plans for handbook language on athletics and transitions.
The Piedmont School District board voted to adopt a revised personal electronic device (PED) policy to comply with a newly signed state law that bans student cell-phone use from the first bell to dismissal.
Administrators told the board the policy mirrors the statute’s bell-to-bell language and includes tiered consequences aimed at changing behavior rather than immediately removing students from class. Mark (district staff) outlined the proposed discipline sequence: “our first offense … will be a detention. Second offense, one day of in-school restriction; third offense could be three days or out-of-school depending on circumstances,” and added that parent contact is included at multiple steps. The administration also proposed a quarterly reset to avoid inflating chronic absenteeism measures tied to in-school or out-of-school removals.
Superintendent’s staff emphasized communications and accommodations. Lisa (district staff) said administrators and teachers have been preparing and that the district will identify emergency and medical exceptions in policy and handbooks. Officials also said laptops and other non-cellular devices used for instruction will remain permitted.
Board members raised questions about when students could use devices when their academic day ends and they head to athletics or off-campus activities. Administrators told the board that principals and coaches will define specific locations and transitions in school handbooks and that the board can revise handbook language after hearing feedback. “We’ll put it in the handbooks, put it in the middle school and high school handbook about how they’ll write it,” administration said, noting handbook rules will be brought back for approval.
The board approved the policy with the recommended language change to match the law and directed staff to finalize handbook guidance and family communications before the new school year. The motion passed in a recorded voice vote with all voting members in favor.
