Newark Unified considers 'bell‑to‑bell' mobile‑device policy under AB 3216; trustees debate enforcement and breaks
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Summary
Assistant Superintendent Karen Hallard presented a proposed board policy to implement AB 3216 (Phone Free School Act), recommending devices be stored in backpacks from first bell to dismissal for secondary students; trustees raised enforcement concerns, discussed classroom phone charts and Yondr pouches, and asked staff for additional staff-survey details before final action.
Assistant Superintendent Karen Hallard told the board that Newark Unified staff recommend a bell‑to‑bell mobile‑device policy for secondary schools to comply with AB 3216 (the Phone Free School Act), which requires districts to limit mobile-device use during instructional time by July 1, 2026.
Hallard said district outreach over five months produced 382 family survey submissions and 1,517 student responses from secondary sites. Families were largely supportive of restricting device use, and students expressed mixed views; Hallard said most students at the secondary level indicated they would store devices in backpacks during the school day. She noted that some sites, including the middle school and Bridgepoint Continuation High School, already employ storage systems and that implementation details will be included in site handbooks and an FAQ posted online.
The staff proposal would require students at the secondary level to power off or set devices to Do Not Disturb and keep them in backpacks from the start of the first period until dismissal; elementary families are strongly discouraged from bringing personal devices. Hallard reviewed statutory exceptions spelled out in AB 3216: device use allowed during perceived emergencies, with teacher permission, for health‑related reasons as determined by a physician, or when required by a student’s IEP or 504 plan. Hallard said the new expectation would launch on the first day of school in the 2026–27 school year pending board approval.
Trustees pressed staff on enforcement and logistics. Several board members said they favor classroom phone‑chart systems that place devices out of reach at the start of class; others raised the option of Yondr-style pouches, which secure phones in a lockable pouch, but noted cost and site suitability. Student Board Member Torres argued that a blanket ban during free time (breaks and lunch) would be difficult to police and could unreasonably limit student autonomy on a large high-school campus.
"Having to put it up on a wall across the classroom…reduces the temptation of trying to access a phone," Member Block said, describing a cheap wall‑pocket system he uses in his classroom.
Board members requested more detail from staff on high‑school and site‑level conversations, a staff-wide survey (in addition to family and student input), and rough cost estimates for phone‑storage options. Because the presentation was treated as a first reading, trustees asked staff to return at the next meeting with additional information before a final vote.
Next steps: Hallard will gather additional staff feedback, refine cost estimates for storage options (phone charts, Yondr pouches or other systems), and return with a revised proposal for board action.
