Superintendent warns Weber schools to prepare for bell-to-bell device ban and big early-literacy investment

District leaders asked board members to expect policy changes after the legislature’s session concludes Friday, highlighting two bills they said will affect classroom practice and staffing.

The superintendent identified SB69 as the school-device bill “which basically mandates that we have a bell-to-bell ban on cell phone use” and said the law includes internet-enabled devices and smartwatches but allows exemptions for students with IEPs or 504 accommodations. “We’ll have to look at our policy, pull our policy committee together and take a look,” the superintendent said, adding there is flexibility for local implementation where local education agencies can tailor approaches.

The superintendent also described SB241 (sponsored by Sen. Milner) as a comprehensive early-literacy initiative intended to increase third-grade reading outcomes: “The goal…is by July 1st of 2030 to have…80% of our students reading on grade level on their end-of-year assessment,” he said, noting an attached fiscal note and a $16 million state allocation mentioned earlier by a committee representative. He said the bill pushes for intensive intervention and possibly earlier retention options and that district literacy staff will lay out implementation when the bill becomes law.

Board members cautioned about operational challenges: Kelly warned the district will need additional personnel to implement individualized reading plans and parents will need to be involved in literacy teams; others said secondary teachers will need support and buy-in to enforce device rules. The board did not vote on policy changes at the meeting but asked staff to prepare recommended policy revisions and implementation timelines.

The district said it would analyze the legislative package after session adjournment and return with specifics for board consideration.