Wake considers limiting student cell phones at school. What could be in a new policy?
Wake County school leaders are weighing how far they should go in limiting students from using their phones in school.
Starting in January, the Wake County school system will begin surveying parents, students and teachers about what they want to see in a new cellphone policy. On Tuesday, school board members were briefed about the wide range of options that could go into effect next school year.
The goal is to reduce the use of phones that have been blamed for causing classroom disruptions and contributing to mental health issues for students.
Wake is weighing options ranging from an outright ban on students having cell phones in schools to allowing them in certain situations.
“There’s a lot of consensus around the need to do something about cellphones and cellphone policies,” Mike Martin, an education consultant for RTI international, said in an interview Tuesday. “It’s a very challenging issue, and I think what the board is grappling with is how to balance consistency across the district and also understanding that they’re going to have to be decisions made at a local level, at the school level as well.”
Martin led Tuesday’s board work session discussion.
What Wake school cell phone policy is already in place?
Wake County doesn’t have a districtwide policy on phone use by students. Instead, individual schools set their own rules. In some schools, the rules vary depending on the teacher.
In general, schools say phones should remain out of sight and unused during instructional time, except in specific, approved circumstances
Wake’s review comes at a time when restricting phone use in school has become a national issue.
At least 19 states have passed laws or enacted policies that ban or restrict students’ use of cell phones in schools statewide or recommend local districts enact their own bans or restrictive policies, according to an Education Week analysis.
Who should set the policy?
Wake could set a mandated districtwide policy that would govern phone use in every school. Or the school board could set a districtwide policy that gives schools flexibility on how to enforce the phone rules.
If schools set their own policy, should they give flexibility to teachers on how to enforce it in their classrooms?
Where should phones be stored during the school day?
Wake might allow students to keep phones on them during the school day as long as they’re off or in silent mode. Alternatives could include requiring phones to be placed in backpacks, lockers, pouches or designated storage areas in the classroom.
Some Wake schools have caddies where students place their phones when they walk into the classroom.
Some schools have students place their phones in magnetically sealed pouches.
Where and when could phones be allowed?
At the most extreme, Wake could bar students from using their phones at all during the school day.
As a middle ground, students could be allowed to use their phones during lunch, in the hallways during class changes or when allowed in class. Some schools that allow limited use of phones ban them in bathrooms.
Rules are likely to vary based on the grade level of the students.
Even in a ban, exceptions would have to be made if it’s part of a student’s federally mandated Individualized Education Plan or if a student has a medical need such as using their phone to check blood sugar levels.
“Most Americans believe that cell phones shouldn’t be out during class time,” Martin said. “I think there’s an increasing body of research that indicates that should be the case. At the same time, you know, if you have kids, and obviously, you want to be in touch with them, right?”
During public comment on Tuesday, parent Margaret Bilodeaux urged the board to not adopt a complete ban. Bilodeaux said phones can protect students by recording violent behavior by people like school resource officers.
“Prioritize safety, equity and fairness,” Bilodeaux said. “ Cellphones when used responsibly are not just distractions. They’re tools for empowerment, accountability and inclusion.”
How would the policy be enforced?
Martin warned that enforcement can be challenging. This means the focus should be on supporting student learning and well-being rather than excessively policing device use, according to administrators.
Given the rapid advancement of technology, Martin said the policy will require regular updates to ensure it continues to prioritize student learning and well-being.
What’s next for Wake’s school cell phone policy?
Through March, Wake will conduct a districtwide survey and hold focus groups. School board member Sam Hershey said the public doesn’t have to wait until the surveys begin to contact the board..
“I want to encourage people watching this to send us your thoughts and opinions on what we should do regarding that policy,” Hershey said Tuesday.
In March, administrators will present options for updating the cellphone policy. This is supposed to give schools time in case they need to change their practices for this fall.
The school board is expected to discuss and vote on a phone policy this spring that would go into effect for the 2025-26 school year.
This story was originally published January 7, 2025 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Wake considers limiting student cell phones at school. What could be in a new policy?."
