Adopted by the Board of Education on July 7, 2025

The Board of Education recognizes that students may have personal electronic devices that can perform different functions.  Such devices include but are not limited to: phones (both smartphones and call/text only phones), tablets, smart watches, wireless headphones and earbuds, internet-connected accessories, e-readers, calculators, voice recorders, cameras and music devices.  These devices can create significant distraction to the school environment and reduce student engagement.  Additionally, in an emergency, the use of personal electronic devices can distract students from following the directions of staff or emergency responders, contribute to the spread of misinformation, create congestion in the emergency response system, and interfere with the district’s emergency response protocols.

Generally, the district is not responsible for stolen, lost or damaged personal electronic devices brought to school.  During the school day, to minimize distractions, students and their parents/persons in parental relation are asked to communicate via the school.  Building staff must educate families on the building’s communication protocol.

Communication with Parents/Persons in Parental Relation

During the school day, to minimize distractions, parents or guardians may contact their children by calling the school office or by using the district-provided email address. Students may contact their parents or guardians by calling from the school office or by using the district-provided email address.  The district will notify parents or guardians in writing of the communication protocol at the beginning of each school year and upon enrollment.

Device Access and Storage

As required by Education Law §2803, this policy prohibits student use of internet-enabled devices during the school day (including all classes, homeroom periods, lunch, recess, study halls, and passing time) on  school grounds (any building, structure, athletic playing field, playground, or land contained within the boundary of a school or district or BOCES facility), unless under an exception (e.g., IEP/Section 504 or as permitted below).

1. At the elementary school level, students are discouraged from bringing devices to school. Any device that is brought to school must be silenced and kept in the student’s personal cubby.
2. At the middle school level, student devices must be silenced and stored in student lockers.
3. At the high school level, student devices must be silenced and stored in student lockers.

Students are discouraged from bringing other personal electronic devices to school.  If students do bring such devices to school, they must be stored in the school’s designated location noted above for the entire school day in  and they must be silenced and not used during the school day unless permission is granted by the school. Exemptions may be granted as outlined below.

Exemptions and Exceptions

Parents or guardian may request an exemption for their children to use personal electronic devices during the school day for bona fide medical or disability-related reasons.  Requests must be made to the Building Principal, and Director of Student Services if applicable, and must include documentation from an appropriate medical or educational professional.  If an exemption has been granted, personal devices may only be used for the purposes outlined in the exemption, and the device must be silenced and put away when not in use.

In emergency situations, exceptions to the prohibition of the use of personal electronic devices may be granted by teachers or administrators.

Exceptions for Specific Purposes

Use of internet-enabled devices must be permitted where included in a student’s Individualized Education Program, Section 504 plan, or where required by law.  Additionally, the district permits the use of internet-enabled devices in the event of an emergency, and under the following circumstances:

• Where necessary to manage a student’s healthcare (e.g., diabetes, asthma, medication, etc.);

Enforcement, Consequences and Reporting

Enforcement of this policy is chiefly the responsibility of building administrative staff; however, all designated employees are expected to assist in enforcement.  Students will be reminded of this policy regularly and consistently, especially at the start of the school year and after returning from breaks.

For students out of compliance with this policy, the student will be instructed to place the device in their locker. Then for each time after the device will be held in the school office until the end of the school day. The first time the device is held in the school office, the student may retrieve the device, and the parents or guardians will be notified. For subsequent instances, the parents or guardians must retrieve the device. Further instances will result in the device being held in the school office daily for longer periods of time.  The district will exercise reasonable care to maintain the security of devices that are held by the district, but cannot guarantee the devices will be secure.  For students with exceptions under this policy, the district will examine alternative ways to achieve the purpose of the exception, including different storage or access provisions.

Administrators will also discuss the aims of this policy with students and their parents or guardians, the benefits of a distraction-free environment, the reasons the student had difficulty following this policy, and how the district can help the student contribute to a distraction-free environment.

The district may not impose suspension from school if the sole grounds for the suspension is that the student accessed an internet-enabled device as prohibited by this policy. However, the district may utilize consequences under the district’s Code of Conduct, including detention, in-school suspension, and exclusion from extracurricular activities.  The district may also utilize assignments on the detrimental impact of social media on mental health, smartphones in school, or other relevant topics.

Some uses of personal electronic devices may constitute a violation of the school district Code of Conduct or other district policies, and in some instances, the law. The district will cooperate with law enforcement officials as appropriate.

Beginning September 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the district will publish an annual report on its website detailing the enforcement of this policy over the past year, including non-identifiable demographic information of students who have faced disciplinary action for non-compliance with this policy, and an analysis of any demographic disparities in enforcement of this policy.  If a statistically significant disparate enforcement impact is identified, the report will include a plan to mitigate such disparate enforcement.

Electronic Devices and Testing

In order to ensure the integrity of testing, in accordance with state guidelines, students may not bring cell phones or other electronic devices into classrooms or other exam locations during testing or state assessments.

Test proctors, monitors and school officials shall have the right to collect cell phones and other prohibited electronic devices prior to the start of the test and to hold them for the duration of the test taking time.  Admission to the test will be prohibited to any student who has a cell phone or other electronic device in their possession and does not relinquish it.

Students with individualized education plans (IEPs), 504 Plans, or documentation from a medical practitioner that specifically requires the use of an electronic device may do so as specified.

Policy Distribution and Translation

As required by law, the district will post this policy in a clearly visible and accessible location on its website. Upon request by a student or parents or guardians, the district will translate this policy into any of the twelve most common non-English languages spoken by limited-English proficient individuals in the state, as identified by the most recent American community survey published by the U.S. Census bureau.

The district will also include this information, or a plain language summary, in student/family handbooks.