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District outlines bell‑to‑bell phone‑free plan for 2026–27 after site visits
Summary
District staff recommended moving to a bell‑to‑bell phone‑free policy for the 2026–27 school year after visiting San Mateo and Sonoma Valley high schools; staff said they will finalize procedures with labor partners and provide more guidance for staff on classroom exceptions and supervised academic use.
District staff presented an update on a yearlong cell‑phone committee process and said the system will move to a bell‑to‑bell phone‑free environment in 2026–27. Staff reviewed site visits to San Mateo Union High School (which used locking pouches funded by PTA) and Sonoma Valley High School (which enforces 'off and away' without pouches) and said lessons learned informed the district’s plan to implement a phone‑free school day without relying on costly locking pouches.
Staff described implementation options for high schools and said the district will continue to allow teacher‑supervised, instructional phone use and will develop clear press/photography passes for student groups such as ASB or journalism. "We are now moving into 26–27, which will be a bell to bell phone free environment," a staff presenter said. Staff also noted ongoing discussions with labor partners and a final staff meeting to refine procedures and handbook language.
Students and trustees raised implementation questions including BYOD (bring‑your‑own‑device) policies, handling students who leave campus for lunch, and technological workarounds such as VPNs and screen‑mirroring from personal laptops. Student board members described use cases where phones provided unique instructional value (video, photography, social‑media projects) and asked for clear handbook language to avoid parent confusion about off‑campus situations.
Why it matters: A bell‑to‑bell policy affects thousands of students and requires clear procedures, staff training and communication with families. The district will aim to provide exceptions for supervised instructional use while enforcing an off‑and‑away standard for class time.
What's next: Staff will hold a final high‑school staff meeting for feedback and then finalize procedures and handbook updates before the 2026–27 school year; trustees asked for clearer guidance on BYOD and how consequences will be handled.
