RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Education has released its draft guidance for a cell phone-free education in Virginia.
This comes after Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33, which directed the VDOE to draft guidance for public school divisions to adopt local policies and procedures establishing cell phone-free education. The VDOE worked alongside the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, State Health Commissioner, the Department of Health, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to draft this guidance.
The draft guidance has taken into account the suggestions from Virginians to develop their plan.
“This draft guidance is the result of Virginians coming together and saying, ‘Enough.’ Virginia parents and teachers have witnessed first-hand the damage cell phones in schools has had on our youth’s academic, mental and physical health and social development. Communities are committed to implementing common sense approaches to restore vibrant and healthy learning environments for all our children throughout the Commonwealth. The Youngkin administration stands ready to support public schools, families, and communities as we change the culture around cell phones.”
Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera.
The guidance defined their view of cell phone-free education as “bell-to-bell,” meaning phones should be turned off and put away from the moment the first bell rings until the moment the last bell rings. This includes during lunchtime and in-between classes.
The guidance also incorporates the following age-appropriate cell phone restrictions in Virginia schools:
- If a parent determines an elementary student needs to bring a cell phone or personal electronic communication device to school, it must be stored, off, and away from the student during the school day. It should not be used in the school building or on the school grounds before or after school.
- In middle school, students should not have an easily available cell phone or personal electronic communication device during the bell-to-bell school day. School divisions should establish local policies that determine cell phone and personal electronic communication device use within the school building or on school grounds outside of bell-to-bell, including before and after school.
- In high school, students should not have an easily accessible cell phone or personal electronic communication device during the bell-to-bell school day. Outside of the bell-to-bell instructional time, cell phones and personal electronic communication devices may be used on a high school campus before or after school
Students with certain medical needs may also obtain a medical exemption to the bell-to-bell policy, as highlighted by school nurses, pediatricians, and healthcare officials.
“The extensive input we received from Virginians was clear and direct. They asked for cell phones and personal electronic communication devices to be removed from our children’s public schools during the school day at every level- elementary, middle, and high school. By refocusing our students’ attention back into learning and away from their phones and social media, all our children will have a better opportunity to learn and succeed academically.”
Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons
The VDOE also understands the importance of ensuring a child’s communication with their parent(s) during an emergency, and has required all school divisions to build plans to communicate directly with parents, as well as reunification plans with children and parents, into their already required crisis and contingency plans, as well as inform and educate students and parents on these plans.
Parents were also concerned about communication with their children in the case of a family emergency. The draft guidance requests school divisions to develop and share family-based emergency school plan procedures with parents and students, as well as post them on their website.
This guidance is not the final draft. The VDOE requests Virginian’s feedback before issuing the final guidance on September 16. Upon the final draft being released, the policies will take place on January 1.