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San Juan Unified board hears mixed results from phone-restriction rollout; members press for clearer, uniform rules
Summary
Acting Superintendent Trent Allen presented survey data and implementation findings on the district's mobile-device restriction policy, reporting mixed perceptions among students, parents, teachers and administrators and prompting board members to push for clearer, more uniform rules and further monitoring.
Acting Superintendent Trent Allen reported to the San Juan Unified Board of Education on the district's implementation of its mobile-device restriction policy, telling the board that 65 of the district's 65 schools are now using some form of the policy and that schools took varying approaches to enforcement.
Allen said the district surveyed roughly 1,900 students (grades 6–12), families and staff and found divergent views. "We had just shy of 1,900 participants between our students in grades 6 through 12, our families and our staff members," he said, and added that about 60% of staff describe enforcement as challenging. "As we went to implement this year, we found that we had 34 school sites who had some level of practice already in place," Allen said, noting 28 schools developed new practices and three schools began implementing this month to bring all 65 sites into compliance.
The survey results showed mixed effects by group: 65% of students reported they could not maintain contact with parents the way they would like, while 65% of parents said they were able to reach their children. Staff and site administrators reported perceived improvements in campus climate and reduced distractions. Allen summarized trade-offs and next steps: the district will continue monitoring implementation, examine consistency across classrooms and consider whether any policy changes are needed later in the year.
Board members focused on clarity and uniformity. "Clarity is kindness," Board Member Ben Avey said, urging a clear, unambiguous policy so principals and teachers are consistent in implementation. Several board members suggested a tiered approach by grade level, with different rules for elementary, middle and high schools.
Vice President Manuel Perez raised concerns that inconsistent practices at a single site—some classrooms enforcing the policy differently than others—created confusion among teachers and students about what was permitted. Several members urged that staff follow up with principals to ensure the district message is consistent and to correct misinformation about what state law requires.
The board and staff also discussed safety and family contact. Allen acknowledged a discrepancy between students' and parents' perceptions of contact and said the district will examine communication protocols to make sure families and students feel connected while preserving classroom focus. He closed by saying staff will continue gathering feedback and return with recommendations if needed.
Next steps: staff will continue monitoring implementation through the year, analyze site-level differences, and report back with recommendations on whether to tighten or clarify the district's administrative regulation.
