Final cell phone policy guidelines for schools to be released by the Virginia Department of Education

Roanoke Virginia – Tomorrow marks the release of the Virginia Department of Education’s final guidelines to ban cell phones from classrooms throughout the Commonwealth.

Governor Glenn Youngkin directed the Department of Education to draft the rules in an executive order.

Students’ phones should be turned off and stored from the time the first bell rings until the last bell rings, according to draft guidelines that were released last month. Although it was stated that the physical location of phones is up to the local government, students are not allowed to carry or carry them in their pockets. Alternatively, they might be in a lockable purse, a locker, or even their backpacks.

Alleghany Highlands is among the numerous Southwest Virginian institutions that have already modified their policy.

Elementary school pupils are currently unable to utilize them until the end of the school day. Students in middle and high school are limited to using them at lunch and in between hallway changes.

Superintendent Kim Halterman stated that after the guidelines are out, they will examine their current policies and make a side-by-side comparison with the department’s regulations.

“We will always make an effort to meet any needs or requirements set forth by the Virginia Department of Education. We will also make every effort to support our neighborhood as much as possible. Halterman stated, “So, we’ll assess the data we got in light of our local situation and go from there.

She added that school divisions will determine which safety measures they believe are most effective for their pupils.

Amherst Public Schools modified its policy in the interim.

Secondary students at Amherst County High are permitted to have their phones with them this year, according to a new rule, according to principal Joey Crawford. But they have to spend the entire day in a locker.

Teachers are noticing students are more engaged, according to Crawford.

Additionally, he stated that they will adhere to the Department of Education’s guidelines upon their release.

As with everything else related to education, we’ll make every effort to ensure that we comply with any state regulations that differ from those that apply to our school division. Crawford added, “If that means we have to work to change the regulation.”

Additionally, other school districts have declared their compliance with the criteria.

In an email, Campbell County Schools Superintendent Clayton Stanley stated that middle and primary school students are currently taught without cell phones under the district’s current policy. Students in high school are only allowed to use phones at lunch.

“We will present a policy adjustment to the board the next month that would harmonize our policy with the VDOE’s model policies. If approved, the change would take effect in January as required by the executive order. That being said, as of now, we have not encountered any negative effects from implementation. However, if you would like to check back, we might in January,” Stanley added.

Zebedee Talley, superintendent of Martinsville City Public Schools, stated that the school system always complies with the department’s cell phone policy.

“I believe that our ban on student use from the start bell to the finish bell is probably a little more stringent than what they will actually release,” Talley remarked. The entire conversation with Dr. Talley is available to view here.

The following statement was issued by the Virginia Department of Education:

“What happens after the Final Guidance is released on Monday is that school divisions should develop new policies or review their current policies to make sure they are as rigorous as the Final Guidance. School divisions are expected to adopt or maintain policies that are as rigorous as the Final Guidance by the end of this year and be fully implemented by the start of January 2025. Local school divisions can choose to be more rigorous than the guidance, and some already have done so. “