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Survey shows mixed views on phone restrictions; board discusses pilots and Chromebook policy next steps
Summary
A district personal‑device survey (staff response ~37%, family response ~25%) found staff favor aligning secondary policies while family responses were mixed; board members discussed piloting stricter middle‑school rules and awaiting Chromebook policy results before major changes.
Executive Director Pacha presented results of a district personal‑device survey on May 12 that staff and board members said will inform possible updates to the district’s phone and Chromebook policies.
The survey drew about 2,600 staff‑level invitations with roughly a 37% staff response rate and 2,220 family responses out of about 8,700 households (about 25% turnout). Pacha said staff responses generally show improved engagement and behavior under the current secondary phone policy and that a majority of staff favor keeping middle and high school policies aligned; family responses were more mixed, with many saying the current balance is “about right” while notable shares supported a more restrictive approach, especially at the middle‑school level.
Board members discussed enforcement challenges for a bell‑to‑bell ban, concerns about adding workload for teachers already managing other stresses, and the possibility of piloting a more restrictive policy at a single middle school to test effects. Directors asked staff to bring Chromebook usage survey results (planned to go out next week) before making wide policy changes; some directors suggested placing an elementary phone policy under Policy & Governance for formal board consideration this summer.
Pacha and directors emphasized that any policy changes would require careful attention to implementation and equity, particularly around lunch‑time supervision and translation of survey findings into workable school practices.
