Richmond, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has published its draft guidance for cell phone policies in Virginia schools. This comes after Governor Youngkin issued an executive order calling for VDOE to either limit or ban phone use in public schools.
In its draft guidance, VDOE said it believes students should be kept from using the cell phones “bell-to-bell” – defined as “from the first bell at the start of the school day until the dismissal bell rings at the end of the academic school day.” This will include lunch periods and time in-between classes.
“This draft guidance is the result of Virginians coming together and saying, ‘Enough,” said Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera in an Aug. 14 press release announcing this guidance. “Virginia parents and teachers have witnessed first-hand the damage cell phones in schools has had on our youth’s academic, mental and physical health and social development.”
Back in July, Gov. Youngkin issued an order calling for schools to be phone-free during instructional time, citing mental health concerns tied to student cell phone use.
VDOE’s draft guidance includes specific guidance for each school level, summarized as follows:
• Elementary School: “If a parent determines an elementary student needs to bring a cell phone or personal electronic communication device to school, it must be stored, off, and away from the student during the school day. It should not be used in the school building or on the school grounds before or after school.”
• Middle School: “In middle school, a student should not have an easily available cell phone or personal electronic communication device during the bell-to-bell school day. School divisions should establish local policies that determine cell phone and personal electronic communication device use within the school building or on school grounds outside of bell-to-bell, including before and after school.”
• High School: “In high school, students should not have an easily accessible cell phone or personal electronic communication device during the bell-to-bell school day. Outside of the bell-to-bell instructional time, cell phones and personal electronic communication devices may be used on a high school campus before or after school.”
VDOE will collect feedback from Virginians and issue its final guidance on Sept. 16. School divisions will have until Jan. 1, 2025 to adopt the final policies and procedures.
