The Howard County Board of Education is considering recommendations for changes in the use of personal devices in school and the consequences for violations but only after a public hearing and policy review, officials said at a meeting Thursday.
The school system decided to form a workgroup in July to review the district’s personal technology policy. Brian Bassett, director of communication and engagement for the Howard County Public School System and chair of the workgroup, presented recommendations to the board during Thursday’s meeting. After discussion, the board passed motions to hold a public hearing and have the policy changes undergo a review by the board’s policy committee.
“I’d encourage staff to work with their administrators while we get this right, so we’re clear and consistent, as our students have asked for, and that we are leading with why,” HCPSS Superintendent Bill Barnes said. “And then when we make decisions, they’re more likely to stick and not need to be adjusted and adjusted and adjusted.”
The recommendations include modifications to Policy 8080, which regulates technology and social media use, as well as adjustments to the Student Code of Conduct. The recommendations, if approved, could take effect Jan. 24, 2025, when students return for the second semester of the school year.
Board members raised concerns that the adjustments didn’t go through the normal regulatory process for policy changes, calling for a public hearing and a review.
“I think we absolutely need to because there are changes in multiple places that are being recommended that are not even fully hashed out yet that we need the community to give input for and we need the policy committee to review as well,” said Jolene Mosley, board member for District 3.
With the proposed adjustments to Policy 8080, elementary and middle school students would need to keep personal devices silenced and away between the first and last bell of the day, according to the workgroup’s report.
High school students could use devices outside of class time, otherwise they would need to be silenced and kept away. Laptops and Chromebooks are to be used for instruction and not recording video and audio or for playing games.
Several board members, including Chair Jen Mallo and District 2 member Antonia Watts, argued that the rules for personal technology use in high school should be more strict. Others questioned why the rules aren’t consistent across all grades.
Jacky McCoy, an at-large board member, argued that allowing cellphones during lunch doesn’t combat students filming fights that break out while District 1 board member Robyn Scates said permitting cellphones during lunch creates “mixed signals.”
“I mean it just sounds like we’re trying to do it gently, and then later, just come back and do it,” Scates said. “I think that if educators are saying they need our help, and if we’re going to do it, let’s do it. Let’s not half do it.”
For all ages, personal device usage may be permitted for emergency communication, Individualized Education Program plans or health plans. Smartwatches may be worn as long as they are only used to check time and don’t distract from instruction.
But some board members disagreed with the approved use of smartwatches, arguing that their use is problematic as students can still engage with communication activities. Mosley explained that wearable technology, such as smartwatches, is permitted in the dress code so that’s an important aspect to be discussed.
Some of the changes to Policy 8080 would outline a specific progression of consequences. For the first infraction, the student’s device will be confiscated until the end of the day, or if confiscated during the last period, students can bring the device home but must provide it to the front office the next school day to be kept. A second offense and beyond that will result in confiscation until a parent or guardian can retrieve the device.
Principals and assistant principals, or those serving in their place, security assistants serving under the principal or assistant principal’s direction, or a teacher on a school-sponsored field trip would be able to confiscate personal devices used in violation of school policy.
While the policies apply to student use, McCoy and Mosley argued that staff use of personal devices needs to be addressed as well.
The recommendations come as schools across the state and country grapple with how to regulate cellphone and personal device usage in schools to address distractions in learning and the negative impacts of social media on mental health. During a June Board of Education meeting, HCPSS Superintendent Bill Barnes said that when visiting schools, the distraction of cellphone use was teachers’ top pain point. In October, some parents called for a crackdown on cellphone use in schools, sharing tearful testimony.
While the policies would work to address the problems of personal device usage in schools, board members pointed toward teaching responsible use, especially as students age out of the school environment.
“I think that we need to be proactive in an approach of responsible teaching, responsible use, because as our students move on from our schools, they’re going to be in the workforce, and they’re going to be in college, and they need to learn how to navigate that space,” Mosley said.
With all the considerations, there is no “gold standard” or one way to make change when adjusting technology policy, Bassett said.
“And so a lot of this is really, we’ve got to implement what we think is right, and then monitor and adjust as needed.”