Kansas education leaders accept cell phone guidelines, leave districts in control

TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) - The Kansas State Board of Education accepted guidelines for how to handle cell phones in classrooms, but ultimately said the decision is up to each individual school district.

of the board met Dec. 10 in Topeka. One of the first items discussed by the board was a list of recommendations made by the Blue-Ribbon Task Force on Student Screen Time.

The task force began looking into the issue of screen in classrooms time in July, after the board said smaller districts asked for guidance.

While the Kansas Board of Education accepted recommendations made by the task force during Tuesday’s meeting, the board did not take steps to implement the guidelines at a district level. Instead, they said each district needed to develop its own policy.

Dozens of districts across the state, including in the Kansas City area, decided to create their own cell phone and screen time policies instead of waiting for the following guidance from the state board.

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Here are the recommendations made by the task force:

Personal Devices in School

1. The task force recommends district implement a bell-to-bell personal electronic device policy in K-12 schools.
2. The task force recommends districts implement a policy for K-12 students to store personal electronic devices in a secure location inaccessible to them during the school day.
3. The task force recommends districts develop robust safety and emergency procedures that are not dependent on students ing authorities or family via personal electronic devices or school-issued devices.
4. The task force recommends districts develop a process for teachers to report gaps in district-provided technology, so teachers do not supplement lack of or insufficient district-issued technology with use of personal devices.
5. The task force recommends districts create a personal device policy for staff .

Screen Time and Mental Health

Several of the Kansas Board of Education believe much more discussion is needed when it comes to screen time and how it impacts mental health.

“There are a number of parents who do not as yet appreciate the negative impact of technology on student well being, how they are preforming academically . How they are performing socially, how they are interacting with each other,” Betty Arnold, board member, said.

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Until that happens, the task force made the following recommendations:

1. The task force recommends districts provide digital citizenship education from non-technology industry resources, which incorporate unbiased or independently funded research.
2. The task force recommends districts share peer reviewed research and discuss mental health concerns associated with excessive use of social media, gaming, platforms, and instant messaging with students, families, and district staff.
3. The task force recommends districts develop a robust website and/or other means of communication with parents, students, and the community that is not reliant upon social media.
4. The task force recommends educators have students take regular breaks from screens throughout the school.

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Parental Oversight of District-Owned Devices

Board agreed that guidelines are fine, but parents must play a role in the success of what each individual district decides.

1. The task force recommends districts utilize content management tools in such a way the default settings protect students without any parental supervision being necessary.
2. The task force recommends district acceptable use policies be written in age-appropriate language for all grades.
3. The task force recommends districts provide families with clear instructions and access to report problems with district-owned devices or content to the appropriate district staff.
4. The task force recommends districts host educational opportunities for families on district-owned devices and related software.
5. The task force recommends districts share information on s that can be implemented on students’ personal devices.
6. The task force recommends districts emphasize the importance of maintaining a balance between digital and non-digital learning experiences, and not rely solely on technology-based instruction.
7. The task force recommends districts develop policies that allow families to optout of district-owned devices being sent home.
8. The task force recommends districts utilize device management systems that allow s to be put in place on district-owned devices.
9. The task force recommends districts allow families to set stricter controls, if desired, on their student’s district-owned device.
10. The task force recommends districts allow families oversight of what their student accesses on district-owned devices and for how long.
11. The task force recommends districts ensure families have full access to their student’s district-owned device when it is at home.
12. The task force recommends districts utilize device management systems that allow families to access a mirrored version of the student’s view on the district-owned device.
13. The task force recommends districts develop systems for families to manage and request additional blocked websites on district-owned devices.

The education leaders agreed guidelines will need to be adjusted or changed as technology continues to develop.

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The task force also did not look at screentime and how it impacts academics in the classroom.

The recommendations will be available through the Kansas Board of Education to any school district who requests the guidelines.

The full discussion on the topic is available on the Kansas Department of Education’s YouTube page.

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