The Coronado Unified School District trustees are expected to consider a future ban on cell phones and other electronic devices at an upcoming meeting.
The district hosted a community forum on Feb. 3, led by Superintendent Karl Mueller, to answer questions about potential policy changes.
The potential ban would mean kids are allowed to bring phones to school but would be required to store them, and other electronic gadgets, inside a lockable pouch while on campus. However, some students have class periods allowing a late-start or early release. Restrictions for these students and other time frames are among the issues the board is expected to take up.
Additional discussions are planned when the board meets in February and March.
During the forum Mueller said options include “full implementation, so all four schools, all of the time; a pilot school; or no change at all.”
Addressing student safety
Mueller said a state law, AB 3216, requires all California school districts to adopt a policy that limits or bans student smart phone use by July 1, 2026.
Mueller has said the district is in compliance with California’s Phone-Free School Act. He noted the use of cell phone pockets provided to the district by the Optimist Club of Coronado.
In November, Mueller said the district’s current policy applies to Coronado middle and high school students.
The district’s current policy, 5131.8, allows the use of smartphones or other mobile communication devices on campus during non-instructional time but requires students to turn devices off during classes.
The policy, last revised in May, currently allows students to use their phones during “…an emergency, or in response to a perceived threat of danger.”
According to Mueller, safety experts advocate for day-long bans, even during emergencies.
Mueller said experts advocate for complete bans to ensure a district and law enforcement are better able to communicate instructions to staff, students and parents during an emergency. He added that during an intruder crisis, a vibrating or glowing screen can dangerously reveal a student’s location.
The forum included a presentation on the use of Yondr pouch — a lockable case that can store cell phones, smartwatches and wireless headphones like AirPods — during the school day.
If that’s the direction the board would like to explore, Mueller said, teachers could provide access to devices in the event of an evacuation or a move to a reunification site.
In a research compilation, the district found banning cell phones benefits students academically, socially and emotionally. This includes improved test scores, fewer absences, decreased bullying, and reduced psychological distress.
“We have attempted some initiatives to curb cell phone use, but I believe at this point, the governing board has an appetite for taking an additional step,” said Mueller.
The forum laid out students’ use of Yondr pouches during the entire school day, including during breaks, while present on campus.
“The school would have a responsibility during recess, during lunch … to connect students with something that would build community and engage those learners in activities that would lead to friendship and relationships,” said Mueller.
According to Mueller, if the governing board chooses to change its policy the district may also update its discipline action guide for technology violations.
The board is expected to review and discuss the options presented prior to moving forward. The meeting agenda will be publicly available 72 hours before the next board meeting, which is set for 4 p.m. on Feb. 19 at the district office.
“That’s where the community… will have an opportunity, through the use of public comment, to come up and voice their opinions, or provide their perspectives,” said Mueller.
