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The Warren County School District is moving forward with a new policy governing student cell phone and electronic device use, with school board members Monday emphasizing stricter expectations for younger students and consistent enforcement across the district.
The board unanimously approved Policy 9951, "Student Use of Electronic Devices," following discussion about how the policy will be implemented and enforced.
Under the approach discussed Monday, students in kindergarten through eighth grade would not be permitted to have cell phones out or accessible during the school day. High school students in grades nine through 12 would have more flexibility, with limited exceptions for legitimate educational or other approved needs.
Board member Misty Moore questioned how the district would ensure teachers consistently enforce the policy.
"I still feel that there is a lot of gray area," Moore said, noting that some teachers currently enforce phone restrictions while others do not.
Superintendent Gary Weber said inconsistent enforcement would become a personnel matter and stressed that the district would communicate clear expectations to staff once the policy takes effect.
"For K to 8, there's no phones. Period," Weber said.
He acknowledged that high school students may require access to phones in certain situations, including two-factor authentication or other technology-related needs.
The administration plans to issue additional guidance explaining how the policy will be implemented. Weber said that message will be designed to make the expectations clear to students, parents and staff.
Board member John Wortman said he supported the policy and praised the board and administration for developing different expectations based on grade level.
"I think the approach that we're taking with the different grade levels is good, and I fully support the implementation of this policy," Wortman said.
The board's discussion also focused on whether the new policy would create additional demands on administrators and teachers.
Moore referenced the district's ongoing challenges with repeated vaping violations, saying administrators already spend significant time dealing with students who repeatedly violate rules.
She questioned how the district would handle students who continue to disregard the cell phone policy.
Weber said the new policy would give administrators clearer authority to enforce the rules and would allow the district to track violations more consistently.
"I think one of the things that's going to happen is at least you're going to give the administration the teeth to be able to enforce it," Weber said.
He added that administrators would monitor the policy after implementation and could recommend changes if problems emerge.
"If we find in two months that there's an issue that's not being addressed, whether it's procedurally or whether it's in the policy, we come back to the drawing board," Weber said.
The policy discussion follows months of consideration by the board over how restrictive the district's cell phone rules should be.
The district previously considered two broad approaches: one that would prohibit cell phone use from bell to bell and another that would allow use during non-instructional periods such as breakfast, lunch and class transitions.
Administrators were ultimately directed to develop a hybrid approach with different expectations for elementary, middle and high school students.
The board has cited a number of reasons for pursuing tighter restrictions, including classroom distractions, increased screen time, social media, mental health concerns and the need to help students develop appropriate technology habits.
The district's procedures are expected to include exceptions for legitimate educational and individual student needs.
Among the situations discussed were students taking online or dual-enrollment courses who may need headphones, earbuds or other electronic devices to participate in virtual instruction.
The district also expects to address accommodations required for individual students.
The policy could eventually be affected by state legislation. Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering legislation that would establish statewide requirements for student mobile device use in schools, including House Bill 1814.
Any state requirements adopted in the future could require the Warren County School District to modify its policy.
For now, the administration will continue developing the implementation procedures and guidance surrounding Policy 9951.
The board's unanimous vote Monday formally advances the policy while leaving room for adjustments as the district gains experience with implementation.