Washougal School Board member calls for stricter cell phone restrictions in schools

A Washougal School Board member is calling for the Washougal School District (WSD) to consider tightening its protocols around the use of cellphones in school facilities during educational hours.

During the Board’s Aug. 27 meeting, Jim Cooper called for a workshop to discuss WSD policy 3245, which states that “telecommunications devices will be turned on and operated only before and after the regular school day and during the student’s lunch break, unless an emergency situation exists that involves imminent physical danger or a school administrator authorizes the student to use the device.”

“Research is coming out more and more on how impactful distractions are in the learning process, and how (phones are) having not only a social emotional impact on kids, but an academic impact,” Cooper said. “We could wait until the state passes a law or give us guidance, or we could lead. Our kids are the ones that are important to me, and I think it’s worth having an agenda discussion.”

Les Brown, the WSD’s director of communications and technology, told the Post-Record that interim superintendent Aaron Hansen will “work with the board president to figure out where the topics raised at (Tuesday’s) meeting fit into the schedule of upcoming meetings.”

Washougal School Board member Chuck Carpenter agreed with Cooper, saying that cell phone use in schools is “a topic that needs to be addressed.”

“During one of the (district’s) listening sessions last year, one of the high school teachers came, and we talked about the frustration of the kids texting during class,” Carpenter said. “She said, ‘We need to do something about cell phones.’ We really do. Kids are not paying attention because they’re (playing on their phones) and they’re not learning.”

Carpenter pointed out that the WSD and the Board will have to decide how strict they want the policy to be if they decide to make changes. 

“What path do you go down? How stringent do we become? That’s the issue,” he said. “You’re going to have to find a place on that continuum. I don’t know where it is, but I’m confident that the people who are directly on the firing line will think things through and come up with a recommendation that’s sound. It’s just something to be dealt with.”

Policy 3245 states that “students will not use telecommunication devices in a manner that poses a threat to academic integrity, disrupts the learning environment, or violates the privacy rights of others.”

“Disrupting the learning environment means any intentional gesture, any intentional electronic communication, or any intentional written, verbal or physical act or statement initiated, occurring, transmitted or received by a student at school that a reasonable person under the circumstance should know will have the effect of insulting, mocking or demeaning a student or group of students causing substantial disruption in, or substantial interference with, the orderly operation of the school; or creating an intimidating, threatening, hostile or abusive educational environment for a student or group of students through substantially severe, persistent or pervasive behavior,” the policy states.

Two days after Cooper made his comments, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal publicly called for new school policies regarding cell phone and smart device use.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) published a brief for Washington’s schools on cell phone policies, advocating for school leaders to plan to update their policies by the start of the 2025-26 school year, according to a news release.

Reykdahl encouraged school leaders to work with their communities during the next year to create a plan that will work best for their local context.

“Reducing the use of cell phones in class improves concentration and learning, improves mental and physical health, and reduces pressures caused by social media,” Reykdal said in the guidance document. 

OSPI’s guidance encourages districts to implement uniform, school-wide policies to create ongoing and consistent expectations for students, staff, and families; consider exceptions to school-wide policies when an educator is using devices as part of a lesson plan; and not prohibit students with disabilities from using a device to support their learning as identified by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or IEP team, according to the news release. 

“We know that students succeed when they can focus on learning,” said Larry Delaney, President of the Washington Education Association. “These policies provide educators with support to create better learning environments and are a step forward in creating safer and healthier schools for our students.”

School policies governing cell phone use in the classroom are most effective “when paired with other strategies to support student mental health and to prepare students to use digital media in safe and healthy ways,” the news release states. 

“Our aim is for students to be engaged and attentive in the classroom, and we recognize the significant distraction that cell phones can pose,” said Joel Aune, Executive Director of the Washington Association of School Administrators. “We want our students to develop healthy habits and digital citizenship skills that will serve them well in the future. I am confident that school and district leaders will be thoughtful about implementing policies that support learning and well-being for all students.”

According to a 2022 study by the Pew Research Center, 95% of teenagers have a smartphone, compared to 73% in 2014-15. Educators nationwide have called for support in limiting student access to cell phones during instructional time to reduce distractions and provide the optimal environment for student learning, according to the news release. 

In a 2024 survey, the National Education Association found that 79% of educators who teach in schools that allow cell phones find it to be “very disruptive.” Additionally, 90% of educators surveyed said they would support cell phone policies that restricted students’ use of cell phones during instructional time.

“Our challenge to school leaders to revise their cell phone policies is part of a broader strategy to support our students’ mental health and prepare them for success in our digital world,” Reykdal said.

Of the nation’s 20 largest school districts, at least seven forbid the use of cell phones during the school day or plan to do so, while at least another seven impose significant restrictions, such as barring use during class time but permitting phones during lunch or when students are between classes, according to a Washington Post article.

“Seven of the 20 largest districts in the country now have banned cell phone use completely. Seven more have banned it in the classrooms,” Cooper said. “I think it’s clear to anyone who thinks about it, if you’re distracted, (you’re going to have a harder time learning). Distracted learning is just a reality.”

The Portland Public School District recently enacted a policy that requires students at Grant High School, Cleveland High School, and Beaumont Middle School to place their phones inside secure pouches, locking them away until the final bell rings. The Lake Oswego (Oregon) School District also recently announced a complete ban on cell phones in schools for the coming year.