Policies banning cell phones and other internet devices remain works in progress in Rochester, and other districts with two weeks remaining until a state deadline to cement those restrictions.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s “distraction-free schools” law enacts a bell-to-bell prohibition on such devices, also including smartwatches and non-school-issue tablets.
Districts are required to publish their updated policies on electronics by August 1st. The state has authorized $13.5 million for device storage for public schools. In Brighton, which has updated its policy, devices must be silenced and stored in lockers (or backpacks, for elementary school students). Pittsford’s policy is similar, though it notes more work is needed on storage, discipline and to assess other distractions like ear buds and music.
At the Rochester City School District, the school board held a public hearing ahead of finalizing its plan to adhere to the state law.
“My concern is that when students go to the office and they're like, ‘hey, I need to call my parent,’ they may not always allow the students to call the parents,” board member Beatriz LeBron said. “Because it's going to be depending on what they constitute as an emergency versus what a child might feel like it's an emergency.”
Greece schools also use Yondr pounches, and has introduced walk-through body scanners in its secondary schools that detect cell phones and other prohibited items.
Rochester city schools’ new Superintendent Eric Rosser said in a recent school board public hearing on the policy that he’s prepared to have a plan ready going into next school year.
“We'll make sure that during the summertime, as a part of the work of the executive team, that we're making sure that those protocols and the communication is in place for the opening of school.”
There are some exemptions to the rule, including for students who require a device for health needs, translation, or to act as a caregiver.
The state law also requires that schools provide data on disciplinary actions related to policy violations, and if there are significant disparities for any student group, districts are required to include a plan to mitigate that.
State guidance indicates that the policy “must be posted in a clearly visible and accessible way on the institution’s website” and upon request “be made accessible in the twelve most commonly spoken non-English languages” based on Census data.
