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Board hears first reading of device policy that would prioritize district-issued devices
Summary
The Mount Horeb Area School District board received a first reading of Policy 443.101, which would move the district toward using only district-issued devices for classroom instruction, tighten restrictions on recording without consent, and add clearer exception language for emergencies and extracurricular activities; board members asked for wording clarifications on hotspots, esports and enforcement.
The Mount Horeb Area School District board on Aug. 5 received a first reading of a revised acceptable-use policy (Policy 443.101) that would remove permissive language allowing students to bring their own devices for instructional use and move toward district-issued devices in classrooms.
Administration said the change is intended to improve technical support, streamline state testing and give staff more consistent control over classroom devices. "We're moving towards just having district-issued devices for students to use in the classroom," the presenter said, noting benefits for troubleshooting, standardized testing and the ability to push instructional programs to managed devices.
The revised draft also tightens prohibitions on capturing, recording or transmitting another person’s audio, photos or video without consent and restructures disciplinary language. Board members pressed for clearer exception language. "We need to be explicit about circumstances when a hotspot or a device provided by a parent would be acceptable," said a board member, asking for clarifying language that would allow for emergency or extracurricular exceptions without undermining the policy's intent.
Members asked whether extracurricular programs such as esports would require students to supply expensive consoles and whether the district would provide alternative equipment. Administration said the district maintains some equipment for school-sponsored activities but that parental-provided devices have been used in the past; the policy should specify participation and liability rules.
Questions also focused on who will have authority to direct students to power off devices and how the policy will interact with building-level rules. The presenter said the policy language is intended to authorize administrators to establish site-level rules within the board policy framework.
The board took no final vote; the item was presented for first reading and will return with wording edits addressing exceptions for emergencies, sports and extracurriculars and clearer operational language about enforcement and supervision.
The board next reviews the policy after the education committee refines acceptable-use conditions and exception language.
