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Proposed York County student handbook changes include updated cell-phone rules, AI-material language and revised sanctions
Summary
Staff presented proposed 2026–27 student-handbook revisions to improve readability, align with state policy (including House Bill 1961) and add language addressing AI-generated inappropriate materials; some sanction levels for codes RB3/RB4 were increased in the draft.
The York County School Board received a presentation on proposed revisions to the 2026–27 student handbook and conduct code that staff said are intended to align language with state guidance, clarify procedures for families and codify existing practices.
Dr. Aaron Butler (director of student services) told the board that local boards must annually review conduct standards and that much of the current set of changes are readability or alignment edits. He said the division added language to clarify instructional-materials procedures and updated career-counseling language to reflect the state Department of Education’s model definitions of high-quality work-based learning.
Butler said staff revised acceptable-use wording and updated the student cell-phone and personal-electronic-device policy to align with the board’s JFCF policy. He also identified changes tied to recent legislation: House Bill 1961, which expanded the definition of certain threats, led staff to add clarifying text on oral threats and required reporting criteria.
The proposed revisions also add explicit language that inappropriate AI-generated materials are not acceptable in student work. Butler said codes RB3 and RB4 were adjusted: RB3’s sanction range was raised (to allow an out-of-school suspension in more cases), and RB4’s recommended sanction range was increased with level-4 (a 10-day recommendation) listed for more serious incidents. "We increased the sanction range on RB3...the school year has been increased to a level 3," Butler said.
Board members asked whether the changes reflected an increase in incidents and requested staff double-check statutory wording (one member pointed out a possible transcription or typographical error involving the word 'discharge' vs. 'disarm'). Butler said many edits are clarifying and that staff will confirm statutory language and return for subsequent review as required by changing legislation.
The handbook revisions will return to the board for additional review; staff noted that final language may change if further legislature alters state model policies.
