By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
In an effort to reduce distractions from cell phones in schools, districts throughout Ohio must have cell phone policies in place by July 1.
In the U.S., 95% of teens aged 13 to 17 have access to smart cell phones, according to the National Education Association. Students, on average, receive 192 alerts per day from their cell phones. That’s about 11 notifications per waking hour – one every five minutes.
Cell phones and their applications are designed to catch the attention of students, which is disruptive to both learning and relationships, the NEA added. Even when students don’t check their cell phones, the presence of a phone affects their ability to think.
Last May, Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 250, the new law requiring school districts in Ohio to establish an official policy governing cell phone usage during school hours. The goal is to minimize student use of cell phones in K-12 schools.
The new law requires school districts to adopt local policies that:
- Emphasize that student cell phone use be as limited as possible during school hours.
- Reduce cell phone-related distractions in classroom settings.
- May permit students to use cell phones or other technological devices for student learning or to monitor or address a health concern.
The intent of the bill makes sense, according to Bowling Green Superintendent Ted Haselman.
“The idea of restricting cell phone use is a good idea,” he said on Friday.
However, Haselman said the sweeping suggestion from the state that students shouldn’t even use cell phones during school activities goes too far.
“Having the attention of students to be focused on what’s happening in the classroom will enhance the education the students receive,” the superintendent said.
But districts should have some local control and be able to adopt policies that fit their communities, Haselman said.
“There is some flexibility,” he added.
Bowling Green City School District is among many districts in the state that already have cell phone rules in place. Those rules state:
- Cell phones must be off and out of sight for students through eighth grade.
- In high school, the rules vary by classroom, and are based on whether or not the cell phones are necessary for particular lessons. High school students can use their phones during lunch time.
- Students who need their phones to check on health issues, such as diabetes, are allowed to use their phones for those health checks.
Like all rules, sometimes the cell phone restrictions are violated, Haselman said.
“We do see that,” he said. In those cases, the district uses progressive discipline measures if the violations continue.
Bowling Green school administrators have met to discuss the district’s options.
“We’ve looked at what other schools are doing and how that’s worked out for them,” Haselman said. The administrators have also studied BG’s current rules and how they are working.
“We have discussed and are looking at all our options,” he said.
Haselman said he expected the cell phone policy to be on the school board’s agenda in May or June.
Schools will be required to adopt their cell phone policies no later than July 1, ahead of the 2025-2026 school year.
According to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, research shows that student use of cell phones in schools has negative effects on student performance and mental health. Cell phones distract students from classroom instruction, resulting in smaller learning gains and lower test scores. Increased cell phone use has led to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues in children.
Schools that have successfully implemented policies prohibiting the use of cell phones report that students are talking, interacting, laughing, and enjoying themselves. Research demonstrates these policies reduce bullying frequency, especially among students aged 13-16. They similarly have significant positive impacts on standardized test scores and grade point averages of girls.
Without access to cell phones, students can focus on the present, the people around them, and their education. Without the disruption of cell phones, school staff can spend more time teaching and supporting students.
The model policy recommended by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce states:
- This policy applies to the use of cell phones by students while on school property during school hours.
- Students are prohibited from using cell phones at all times.
- Nothing in this policy prohibits a student from using a cell phone for a purpose documented in the student’s individualized education program. A student may use a cell phone to monitor or address a health concern.
- Students shall keep their cell phones in a secure place, such as the student’s locker, a closed backpack, or a storage device provided by the district, at all times when cell phone use is prohibited.
- If a student violates this policy, a teacher or administrator shall take the following progressively serious disciplinary measures, starting with verbal warnings, then placing the student’s phone in an office, and possibly scheduling a conference with the student’s parent or guardian.
