CALDWELL, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Caldwell schools have officially prohibited student cell phone and other personal electronic communication device use as of Monday, when the school board’s draft policies on the matter passed second reading.
Such devices must be turned off, kept out of sight and not on a student’s person during the school day, with the exception of high school students during lunch period.
Failure to comply will result in a device’s confiscation. With the first offense, a student or their parent/guardian may pick up the device from the office at the end of the school day. With the second offense, only the parent/guardian may pick up the device, and after the third offense, the district will not return the device until there is a disciplinary meeting with the student and their parent/guardian.
This news comes two weeks after Gov. Brad Little — in partnership with state superintendent Debbie Critchfield — signed an executive order known as the “Phone Free Learning Act,” which encourages school districts to implement comprehensive device restrictions before the current academic year ends. Districts who do so will receive a one-time payment of $5,000. The grant money, which is funded with federal dollars, is meant to “assist with storage and other costs associated with implementing this policy.”
Many other Treasure Valley school districts like West Ada, Emmett and Vallivue have adopted similar policies earlier this year. Within the Caldwell School District, Canyon Springs High School already implemented such a policy when the academic year began, making students turn in their cell phones at the beginning of the day.
Principal Shelli Rambo said that students had become more productive without the constant distraction.
“People are getting along better, they’re working with each other, they’re just learning to interact,” Rambo said at the school on Wednesday. “Over the past few weeks, parents that I’ve talked to — three of them have said, ‘my child isn’t on their phone as much at home, either.’”
Senior Charlotte Rodriguez is excited to get hers back, however.
“Last year, with being able to have our phones and everything, it just gave me an excuse to not work on my stuff, so I just kind of went off the rail. This year, we don’t have nothing else to do during the day, so we actually bust out our work,” Rodriguez said. “Honestly, I think it’s pushing us harder to graduate, because we can have our phones every day after that.”
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.