Devices must be off, silenced or in airplane mode during class under new district rules.
REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands Unified School District Board of Education approved a new districtwide policy regulating student use of cellphones and other personal electronic devices during its Feb. 10 meeting.
The policy sets rules for when students can use devices such as phones, smart watches and tablets while at school, with stricter limits for younger students and exceptions for emergencies, medical needs and teacher permission.
Why it matters: Student cellphone use has become a growing concern for educators who say constant access to phones can distract students and disrupt classroom instruction. At the same time, many families want their children to carry phones for safety reasons.
The new policy aims to balance those competing concerns by limiting phone use during instructional time while still allowing access in emergencies, for medical needs or when approved by school staff.
Details: Board Policy 5131.8: Mobile Communication Devices was adopted on a second reading without discussion on Feb. 10 after previously amending the draft during a Jan. 27 meeting.
The new rules establish different expectations for younger and older students.
Under the policy:
- Students in transitional kindergarten through 8th grade may only use mobile communication devices before school and after the school day ends, including during after-school programs.
- During the school day, including passing periods, recess and lunch, devices must be turned off, silenced, or placed in airplane mode and kept out of sight.
- High school students may use devices during noninstructional time, such as lunch or breaks, but not during instructional time unless permitted by a teacher or administrator.
The policy applies broadly to mobile communication devices, which may include smartphones, tablets and smart watches.
Students cannot be prohibited from using a device in certain situations, including:
- Emergencies or perceived threats of danger
- When a teacher or administrator gives permission
- When a physician determines the device is necessary for a student’s health
- When required by a student’s Individualized Education Program or 504 plan
School staff may temporarily confiscate devices used in violation of the rules, and the district states it is not responsible for devices that are lost, stolen or damaged on campus.
What they’re saying: Board members discussed several changes to the policy during the Jan. 27 meeting before advancing it for final approval.
A key discussion centered on whether phones should be completely powered off during the day.
Some board members raised safety concerns, noting that powering down phones could disable location tracking apps that parents use to monitor children walking to and from school.
“When you turn it off, you lose location services,” Board Member Melissa Ayala-Quintero said during the discussion. “For kids who walk to school, you lose the ability to track them.”
Board members ultimately agreed that allowing devices to be placed in airplane mode would prevent communication during school while still allowing background functions such as alarms or location services.
Zoom out: Cellphone bans are increasingly popular. At least 35 states and the District of Columbia require school districts to ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones in schools, according to an Education Week count.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free Schools Act in 2024 requiring all public schools to develop cellphone use policies by July 1, 2026.
About 53% of public school leaders feel that students’ academic performance is negatively impacted by cellphone usage, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. The findings also show that a little over 70% believe phones have had a negative affect on students’ mental health and attention span.
Moving forward: The policy requires the district to review and update the rules at least every five years, with input from students, parents and other stakeholders to ensure they reflect the needs of the school community.
