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Superintendent urges clarity after governor's phone ban; district plans building-level guidance
Summary
Superintendent Clint told the board the governor's executive order banning student cell phones during instructional time lacks detail, and he said the district will seek OSBA and state guidance while preparing building plans for August.
Superintendent Clint briefed the board on the governor's recent executive order banning cell phones during instructional hours in K'12 schools, saying the order "didn't contain a lot of specifics" and will require rulemaking and interpretation before districts know how to comply.
Clint told the board that exceptions are likely for devices documented in a student's IEP, 504 plan or health plan — such as diabetic alerts tied to a phone — but that common parent preferences will not qualify. He also flagged enforcement challenges for open campuses, buses on long trips and wearable devices capable of calls and texts. "We need to start the year with whatever the policy is gonna be," he said, explaining the district does not want to change course midyear.
Clint said the district will request a template policy from the Oregon School Boards Association and anticipate a first reading in September with adoption in October if timelines hold. He recommended building administrators prepare local messaging and discipline procedures in August so staff can present consistent expectations when school starts.
