Iowa City school board to consider new cellphone policy

IOWA CITY — The Iowa City school board will vote on a proposed new cellphone policy Tuesday that would require phones, earbuds and headphones to be “detached from the student’s body” during instructional time.

The proposed policy would require students’ phones to be silenced and placed in a backpack, purse, hanging pouch in the classroom, or in a student’s assigned locker during class.

Student non-compliance with the policy would be handled by a school’s main office administrators.

If approved, students, staff and families would receive information on the new policy this month. In January, schools would educate students through advisory lessons on the updated policy before the policy is implemented at all middle and high schools Jan. 21, 2025.

The board will meet in a work session at 5 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the policy recommendation, followed by a regular board meeting where the board is expected to take action on the policy.

The regular school board meeting begins at 6 p.m., at the Educational Services Center, 1725 N Dodge Street, Iowa City. Both meetings are open to the public.

Iowa school districts exploring cellphone policies

Many Eastern Iowa schools are exploring adopting new policies around cellphones, mirroring a national trend of school districts — and even states — restricting students’ cellphone use in schools.

Last month, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced a proposal she plans to present to state lawmakers that would bar K-12 students from having their cellphones in the classroom.

Proponents of such bans say they prevent students from being distracted during school instruction time and also help address concerns about students’ mental health.

Eight states had banned cellphones in classrooms as of Nov. 4, according to KFF, a nonprofit health care news and advocacy organization. The states with statewide bans on phones in the classroom are Minnesota, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana and California, according to KFF.

Another 12 states — including Iowa — have introduced legislation that would ban or restrict cellphone use in classrooms, and education departments in nine more states have recommended policies or pilot programs designed to ban or restrict cellphones in schools, according to KFF.

Hillcrest Academy, a private school in Kalona, is one of the first school districts in Iowa to make the switch to being phone-free this academic year to reduce distractions in the classroom and out of concerns for their mental health.

Cedar Rapids and College Community school districts also are researching this year the presence of cellphones in schools and potential policies.

What does Iowa City’s proposed policy say?

According to Iowa City school board documents, the success of the personal device policy will be measured by the following metrics:

Students would be allowed to wear smartwatches during the school day, according to the proposed policy. But if the watch is distracting in class, teachers will follow a sequence of consequences detailed in the policy.

At the middle schools, students can use cellphones during passing time between classes and during their lunch period.

In high school, students can use cellphones during passing time between classes, during their lunch period, any open hours where they don’t have class and during study hall.

However, high school students on an open hour cannot use cellphones in the hallway during class time until they’ve reached a designated area within the school where cellphones can be used.

Under the proposed policy, if a cellphone, earbuds or headphones are seen, heard or in use during instructional time, teachers will contact the office via email. The office will send a staff member to the classroom to confiscate the phone, earbuds or headphones. The confiscated device will be held in the main office until the end of the school day, according to the policy.

If a student refuses to give up their device, the student will be removed from the classroom and taken to the main office. If the student continues to refuse, the administrator will call the student’s family and there may be additional consequences.

Consequences for violating the policy compound if a student violates the policy more than once.

If a student violates the policy, their device is confiscated for the day. They sign a documentation sheet to receive their device at the end of the day and acknowledge their violation of the policy.

For a third offense, additionally, the student’s parent or guardian is contacted. A fourth offense results in a meeting with the student’s parent or guardian. If there is a fifth offense, a “technology plan” will be created with the student’s parent or guardian.

Any student who videotapes a fight or “disruption,” or actively encourages inappropriate behaviors, will be subject to disciplinary consequences, according to the policy.

Exceptions to the policy

Exceptions to the policy include:

Months of consideration

The Iowa City Community School District began reviewing its cellphone, technology and artificial intelligence policies over the summer.

The board and community underwent a book study of the book “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt, which argues that the rise of smartphones has led to a rise in mental illness.

Earlier this year, a survey was given to district administrators, staff and parents to gather feedback.

Clear Creek Amana adopts new cellphone policy

The Clear Creek Amana Community School District adopted a new cellphone policy this month that prohibits students’ use of personal electronic devices during instructional time.

The district is in the middle of a transition plan this month to implement the policy. This includes staff training, making families aware of the policy and providing resources for families and teachers to help students adapt to the policy “positively,” according to board documents.

There will be school assemblies for middle and high school students this week to explain the “why” behind the policy.

The policy prohibits the use of personal electronic devices for preschool through 8th grade from the beginning of the first class bell to the last class bell of the day, including lunch, recess and passing time. Cellphones must remain in students’ backpacks or lockers during the full school day, including during lunch and recess.

High school students will be permitted to use cellphones during their lunch period, during a free block where they don’t have class and as approved by a building administrator for education purposes.

Students can wear smartwatches but are prohibited from using any communication features on the watch and all notifications must be turned off.

Consequences of violating the policy include temporary confiscation of the device and communication with parents or guardians. Three or more violations of the policy results in the creation of a plan for “responsible use of personal electronic devices.” This could include prohibiting the student from having a cellphone on school grounds or it could be held by a school administrator during the day.

Personal electronic devices authorized under a current Individual Education Plan, 504 Plan or Individual Health Plan are exempt from the policy.

Erin Murphy of The Gazette contributed to this report.

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