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Oakfield-Alabama board approves policy on student internet-enabled devices; staff point to governor's mandate
Summary
The Oakfield-Alabama Central School District board approved Policy 7316 on use of internet-enabled devices, implementing the governor’s directive while leaving building-level protocols flexible; board members asked how discipline and IEP/504 accommodations will be handled in practice.
The Oakfield-Alabama Central School District board voted to adopt Policy 7316, the district’s policy on internet-enabled devices, following a second reading and discussion of implementation details.
Board members heard from a staff presenter that the policy reflects the governor’s directives and was prepared with Genesee Valley BOCES and reviewed against Erie 1 policy services. The presenter recommended approval, saying the policy “basically covers the mandate” and noting existing building protocols will sit under the policy as procedures.
During a question-and-answer exchange, board members pressed staff on how consequences will be applied and how accommodations for students with IEPs or 504 plans will be represented. A district staff member explained the discipline approach as a procedure: “The student will be asked to go to the office to turn their phone in … first offense,” and after repeated offenses parents would be asked to pick up devices, with more formal restrictions used if a student is “grossly insubordinate.” The staff member emphasized the governor’s guidance that students “cannot be disciplined for actually using their phones in school” and that disciplinary responses would target refusal to follow directions rather than mere use.
Board members raised concerns about how accommodations would be recorded. A staff responder said accommodations are already included in some students’ plans and will be handled through the committee on special education process so that a student’s plan explicitly states any different expectations. One board member cautioned that the availability of accommodations may prompt more requests for IEPs or 504 plans.
After discussion, a board member moved to approve Policy 7316 “as written.” The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
The policy will appear on the district website per the required timeline. Staff said building-level protocols may be adjusted as the district gains experience with the policy in classrooms; the board treated those protocols as procedures rather than amendments to the written policy.
