School Cellphone Policy Bill Passes House

January 20

by Melissa Steele, Cape Gazette

A bill requiring school districts to adopt cellphone policies unanimously passed the House on the Legislature’s return to session Jan. 13.

Senate Bill 106 returns to the Senate with a House amendment that would require districts and charter schools to include a plan to monitor discipline data related to student cellphone-use policy violations, and require the department to help districts and charter schools develop policies if needed. Districts and charters would be required to post their policies online by Monday, Aug. 31.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Eric Buckson, R-Dover South, and Rep. Kim Williams, D-Newark, passed the Senate May 20 with 20 yes votes and one absent.

“SB 106 sends a clear message to school districts that inappropriate cellphone usage in our schools directly correlates with low productivity, poor test performance and increased behavioral problems,” Buckson said.

The legislation came out of the Student Behavior and School Climate Task Force, which identified cellphones as a significant classroom disruption and recommended the General Assembly implement a statewide framework for school cellphone policies.