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The SRVUSD Board of Education is set to review feedback from parents, teachers, students and administrators on a new cellphone policy that went into effect this year in accordance with state law requiring districts to form policies aimed at minimizing the use of cellphones during the school day.
District staff say that the feedback, collected from more than 1,000 community members in October and November, points to widespread support for the Mobile Communication Device policy that was adopted by the board during the last academic year and went into effect in the current year.
“Overall, the first year of implementation provides clear evidence that the MCD Policy is improving instructional focus, campus safety, and healthy student interactions,” Jon Campopiano, executive director of secondary instruction, and Annabel Hurlburt, director of elementary instruction, wrote in a staff report.
“These findings indicate that the policy is an important step toward ensuring safe, focused, and connected learning environments for all SRVUSD students,” they continued.
Starting with the current school year, students in preschool through eighth grade are required to have their cellphones silenced or turned off and stored throughout the entire school day, including recess and lunch, and before school.
One exception is that students in sixth through eighth grades may use their phones for class-related work under the specific instruction by their teachers, who are required to get permission from school principals. Other exceptions for all grade levels include emergencies, health needs, and phone use as part of students’ Individualized Education Programs.
High school students are allowed to use their phones between class periods, during breaks, and at their teachers’ discretion. Phones must otherwise remain turned off and stored during class time, and during bathroom breaks.
According to feedback in the presentation prepared for the board, 86.8% of district administrators believe that the new policy has been effective at reducing distractions, improving digital safety, and enhancing student engagement. They report that it has resulted in fewer behavioral incidents, fewer “backchannel” messages between parents and students, and “much smoother campus operations.”
Nonetheless, administrators said they would like to see more unified staff implementation of the policy and continued educational efforts targeting parents.
A majority of parents surveyed also said the new policy was effective, but feedback was mixed compared to administrators, with 57% saying the policy is effective, 26.8% saying it is not effective, and 16.2% who are “unsure.”
“Families report reduced distractions, improved peer interactions, and appreciation for a clear districtwide standard,” Campopiano and Hurlburt wrote.
“Concerns include uneven enforcement, smartwatch limitations, and the need for predictable communication channels during the school day,” they continued. “Some families request even stronger restrictions at high school, including bell-to-bell bans.”
More than 90% of staff surveyed agreed that the new policy accomplishes its goals of reducing distractions and increasing student engagement, pointing to a “night and day” improvement.Â
“However, they highlight that inconsistent staff enforcement undermines policy effectiveness,” Campopiano and Hurlburt wrote. “Staff also flagged the need to provide digital safety lesson plans for all students. Teachers request additional training, consistent consequences, and more communication to families about the rationale for the policy.”
Staff were also less certain about the policy’s effectiveness in accomplishing two other goals: improving student mental health and promoting digital safety.
A majority of staff surveyed (60.3%) said they believed the policy has a positive impact on mental health, but 38.7% said they were unsure about that factor. When it comes to promoting digital safety, 55.9% said the policy was effective, but 35.3% were unsure, and 8.8% believed it was not effective.
Results were even more mixed for students, although 55.6% reported that the policy both reduces distractions and improves student engagement. A majority of students said they felt the policy does not enhance digital safety, and that they were unsure whether it improves mental health.
“Students note improved focus and reduced classroom disruption, fewer tardies and better engagement,” Campopiano and Hurlburt wrote.
They added that middle schoolers said they were frustrated about before school restrictions on cellphone use, with overall challenges including inconsistent implementation of the policy and limited access to tools such as music and timers that students use for self-regulation.
Next steps, according to Campopiano and Hurlburt’s report, will be to improve consistency in enforcing the policy throughout classrooms and school sites, and to increase student and parent education resources on healthy technology habits and digital safety, as well as continuing to monitor and review community members’ input.
The SRVUSD Board of Education is set to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday (Dec. 9). The agenda is available here.
In other business
*The board will hear a presentation on the district’s intradistrict and interdistrict transfer process following concerns raised by numerous parents and caregivers at past meetings.
*The board will consider accepting the first interim financial report for the current school year.
*The board will hold its annual organizational meeting, which includes selecting a president, vice president, and clerk for the next one-year term.
