Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has updated its cell phone policy for the next school year.
Elementary and middle school students must keep their phones off and away during the entire school day, but high school students can use their phones during lunch and between classes, according to a release from MCPS.
Principals can allow some cell phone use during class if it supports instruction.
Students across all grades can use their phones before the school day begins and after it ends. And, they can use their devices on school buses.
Students with disabilities who have support plans that allow them to use their phones will continue to have that access.
The policy also applies to tablets, laptops, and smartwatches.
As for discipline, MCPS says that if a student misuses their phone, consequences will have a “progressive approach outlined in the updated Student Code of Conduct” which will be released this summer.
Some MCPS schools already pilot an “Away All Day” policy, which states students cannot use their cellphones throughout the entire school day. Parents recently circulated a letter collecting signatures in support of a systemwide policy.
According to MCPS the new policy, “…underscores MCPS’s commitment to fostering a focused and productive learning environment while acknowledging the role of technology.”
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