DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – Next year, Iowans may see legislation to restrict cell phones in public school classrooms.
Thursday, Governor Kim Reynolds told us it’s something she’s looking to propose in the next legislative session.
“We’ve seen some bullying with that. It’s just…kids need to focus on learning. We’re not where we need to be from that perspective and so, you know, I think that teachers are in favor of it, the parents once they understand that there’s a process that if there is an issue their kids can still be taken care of, she said.
Hoover High School in Des Moines started a policy this year restricting cell phone use at school.
Principal Qynne Kelly says it’s been a major success.
Kelly said students are required to keep phones off of their bodies – so in a bookbag, locker, or purse during class.
“When students have their cell phone out during class time, we are called and and we come and remove the device for the rest of the day. If it happens a second time, that is when a parent comes to the school and a parent picks up the device from our main office,” she said.
Kelly says students have been getting better grades since the policy started. Last year, 42% of all grades at Hoover were As or B. The number of As and Bs is 10% higher right now, and Kelly expects them to go up another 10% this year.
There’s other noticeable benefits as well. “Our attendance has been up from 80% to 85% and our out of school suspension has actually been cut in half,” she said.
Kelly says parents are on board. “It has been lovely. They are fully in support. In fact, I think, maybe when we first launched it I had a couple parents with questions, questions. Other than that, it has been full support,” she said.
Des Moines Public Schools Board Chair Jackie Norris says the district is looking to expand cell phone restrictions to the entire district, and they’re releasing a plan next week.
“There’s a lot to unpack to make sure that there’s consistent rules, consistent implementation and that everybody’s prepared for the cell phone policy.” We also have to make sure some of the considerations around safety and security, which is something we do hear from people, are addressed,” Norris said.
Kelly heard concerns from parents about safety too before Hoover’s policy began.
“They always have access to it. So, in case of emergency, yes they can definitely take a look. They can also have their phones during all of our five minute passing periods, at lunch, before and after school,” she said.
Norris says teachers at Hoover are thrilled with the policy.
“They are falling back in love with their craft and that is what we want because we need every teacher to be engaged and happy and feeling really positive about what they’re contributing to the educational system,” she said.
What do students think about it? Kelly says students report on mental health surveys that they think they belong more and are doing better, but fewer report they think the school’s rules are fair.
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Conner Hendricks covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email him at conner.hendricks@gray.tv; and follow him on Facebook at Conner Hendricks TV or on X/Twitter @ConnerReports.
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