Brandywine board gets first reading of student cell-phone policy to comply with new state law

Board members received a first reading of Policy 6.16, a districtwide student cell-phone policy drafted to comply with Delaware Senate Bill 106. The policy presentation emphasized the statutory requirement to adopt a policy before Aug. 31 and explained why the committee recommended different rules by grade level.

Dr. Rivera, speaking for the policy review committee, described the committee’s approach: "Part of the legislation required that the Department of Education provide model language and implementation guidance… and the law also requires that the districts have this policy submitted and approved by the board before August 31st." He said elementary students would remain off and away all day, middle-school devices would be inaccessible during the day, and high schools would operate under an instructional-time restriction model suited to older students with outside responsibilities.

The committee recommended flexible local practices (such as pouches or collected devices) while writing district language intended to remain relevant as technology evolves. Dr. Rivera said the policy’s definition of "cell phone" was broad enough to include smart watches; schools could collect or secure those devices under the proposed language.

Board members were invited to review the full draft in board documents and provide feedback before a vote at the July meeting. The committee framed the policy as both a statutory compliance task and an effort to support student learning and healthy technology habits.