MOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon City School board of education has approved a district-wide cell phone policy.

The policy, approved at the July 18 meeting, puts limitations on cell-phone use in elementary, middle and high school buildings for students. According to the policy:

  • Elementary School (Grades K-5)
    • Student cell phones are prohibited from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the school day.
    • Rationale: Elementary students are encouraged to focus on learning and social interactions without the distraction of cell phones.
  • Middle School (Grades 6-8)
    • Students are prohibited from using cell phones during class periods, flex and lunch. They may check their phones during the three-minute transition times between periods for parent communications.
    • Rationale: Middle-school students are given limited opportunities to use their phones to contact parents while minimizing distractions during instructional time.
  • High School (Grades 9-12)
    • Students are prohibited from using cell phones during class periods, HIVE and study hall. They may check their phones during the four-minute transition times between periods and at lunch.
    • Rationale: High school students are allowed more flexibility to manage their communications while ensuring that academic time is prioritized.

The policy was introduced after the district sent a “thought exchange” survey to parents, staff, students and community members asking for their opinions on cell phone use in schools, among other topics.

The district had 1,275 participants.

One common concern of using cell phones in school from students, staff and parents was distraction from learning, according to the survey results.

In an emergency, the policy states parents can “rest assured the district has protocols and procedures for emergency communications.”

The district can quickly notify students if parents call the office and students can use the office phone to contact parents in case of an emergency at school, according to the policy.

Procedure policies

Students need to keep their cell phones in a secure place like a locker, backpack or cell-phone pouch provided by the district, according to the policy.

For a first offense, a student reports to the office with their phone and obtains the secure phone pouch. The phone must stay inside the pouch until the end of the school day. Then it can be removed, according to the policy. Further disciplinary actions follow with more violations.

The policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it meets the needs of students, parents and the educational environment, according to the written rule.

The district also reserves the right to modify these policies as needed based on new research, feedback and changing circumstances.

When the policy was created, research showed that student use of cell phones in schools negatively impacts performance and mental health.

“Cell phones distract students from classroom instruction, resulting in smaller learning gains and lower test scores,” the policy states. “Increased cell phone use has also led to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders in children.”

What are other districts doing?

 At a July special meeting, Fredericktown school board banned cell phone use during school hours for the 2024-25 academic year.

Danville Local Schools unanimously passed a cell phone ban for students in May’s board of education meeting. The policy will go into effect this school year.

School districts are required to have a cell phone policy after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 250.