Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Devices topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
North San Diego School District board adopts stricter personal electronic device policy to align with governor's order
Summary
The board voted to adopt policy JFCEB, expanding the definition of personal electronic devices (including smartwatches and earbuds), restricting use during class, passing time and lunch, and establishing an exemption process; the board agreed to review implementation in January 2026.
The North San Diego School District board voted to adopt a new personal electronic device policy (JFCEB) that broadens the definition of covered devices and tightens when students may use them at school.
Superintendent Loving presented the policy as a replacement to align the district with the governor’s executive order and recommended implementing the rules at the start of the school year rather than midyear. The policy explicitly expands the definition of “personal electronic device” to include smartwatches and auditory listening devices and removes many former exceptions, with classroom violations subject to confiscation.
"The spirit of this is to create a distraction‑free environment for kids at school," Superintendent Loving said, explaining that limiting device access, including during passing time and lunch, is intended to give students an extended period away from screens so they can interact socially and focus during instruction.
Board members raised operational and safety questions during the discussion. One member asked whether limiting devices during passing time and lunch would interfere with emergency communications or medical device alerts. Loving said schools will rely on posted office procedures and that backpacks, lockers or vehicles can be used for storage; he added that situations requiring immediate medical access will be accommodated through the exemption process.
"If students opt to have it in their backpacks, in an emergency situation they'll be able to access those," he said, noting principals and site teams are designing school‑specific protocols.
The board adopted the policy after a motion and a friendly amendment that requires the board to revisit the policy in January 2026 to assess implementation and make adjustments if needed. The board clarified the final adopted language uses the word "or" in the device definition as amended.
Staff also proposed an administrative rule (AR) to manage exemptions. The AR provides a form families can use to request an exemption for reasons outside IEP/504 accommodations (medical provider order, individual circumstances, or to further specific educational outcomes). Principal decisions on exemptions must be issued within 10 school days and can be appealed to the superintendent, whose decision is final.
The board emphasized that operational details—how to staff enforcement at large high‑school campuses, how to preserve student privacy around medical exemptions, and how to communicate the change to families—will be handled by principals and district staff in the coming weeks. The superintendent said the district will provide family communications tomorrow based on the board’s action.
The board approved the motion to adopt the policy (including the January review amendment). The administrative rules were presented for feedback and will be finalized by staff.
