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Districts in the area implement different policies

Editor’s note: This is the third in an ongoing series about youth mental health. The series will culminate with a Screen-Free Week for the whole community May 4-10.

With concerns becoming more prevalent about youth and cell phones, the Minnesota Legislature in 2024 passed legislation requiring school districts across the state to adopt rules regarding student possession and use of cell phones while in school.

The Legislature left the door open for districts to decide what policy they wanted to put in place for their own students without implementing a blanket ban across the state.

“As much as I would agree that the data shows it’s harmful in many cases, I think it’s the state’s job to issue strong guidelines to districts and then be up to the local districts … to come up with what works for them,” said District 23A Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea.

A proponent of local control, she said she often gets concerned about one-size-fits-all approaches to legislation and the often unintended consequences that come along with it.

Plus, she said, when the state allows the local flexibility, districts usually come up with great ideas that work well for students.

So what have area districts implemented?

Albert Lea Area Schools

In Albert Lea Area Schools, elementary students are allowed to bring cell phones and smartwatches to school, but the devices must be off and placed in the students’ locker, bookbag or given to a building staff member from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. while they are on school grounds.

Smartwatches may be worn unless they become a distraction to learning. If that is the case, the watch will be placed in the students’ locker, bookbag or give to a building staff member.

The student handbook outlines what takes place for violations to the policy. For the first offense, the student will pick up their device at the end of the school day and parents will be contacted.

For the second and third offenses, the parent will need to meet with administration to pick up their devices after school hours, and for the fourth offense, the student will not be allowed to have the device at school.

At Southwest Middle School, the student handbook states students are prohibited from using cell phones and other electronic communication devices during the instructional day. It also states students are prohibited from using these devices to engage in conduct prohibited by school district policies, including cheating, bullying, harassment and malicious and sadistic conduct.

If the district has a reasonable suspicion that a student has violated a rule, the district may search the device.

It goes on to say that students who use a device during the day or in violation of school district policies may be subject to disciplinary action, and the phone may be confiscated and, if applicable, turned over to law enforcement.

If a student it brings an electronic device to school, it must be turned off and kept in their locker during the school day. Devices seen during the school day without permission will be confiscated.

Texting and social media are also not allowed during the school day.
For a first-time violation, the student will have to pick up the device in the main office at the end of the school day.
For the second and third offenses, a parent or guardian will need to meet with administration to pick up after school hours and on the fourth offense, the student will not be allowed to have the device at school.
Students who refuse to hand over their electronic devices to staff will receive a one-day suspension for the first and second offenses and a five-day suspension for the third offense.
Students are also not allowed to record or take pictures on school property without permission from staff or administration and are prohibited from taking pictures in locker rooms and bathrooms. For violation of this, a student could receive up to 10 days of suspension.
At Albert Lea High School a different system is in place.
High School Principal Chris Dibble said ninth through 12th graders at the high school currently are using a system with different zones of use and classroom stoplights.
In a green zone, personal electronic devices are allowed, including before and after school, in passing time and in the Commons area. In a red zone, devices are not allowed, including in bathrooms and locker rooms, hallways during classes, front and back offices, health offices or any time a staff member asks for a device to be put away.
Each classroom also has a stoplight that can display green, yellow or red.
If the red color is displayed, no devices should be present and they must be in a backpack, locker or teacher-supplied box.
For a yellow light, school devices are allowed to be present, but all personal devices must be in a backpack, locker or box.
For a green light, any device may be allowed with staff permission.
The student handbook states that this was implemented in this way to give students the opportunity to learn how to appropriately use electronics and to teach them that when used in the right way, can lead to further learning and a positive life experience.
“What we’re trying to do is build a responsible use,” Dibble said.
The school has a three-tier system to help students comply with the expected device use: first, at the classroom level with verbal reminders, turning in the device and calling family and administration. In the second tier, the device is turned into the office and there are calls or meetings with the family, and in the third tier, the device is turned into the office and the family picks up the device with further planning for appropriate intervention.
From what he has heard from staff, it is a step in the right direction, but they are considering changes for the next school year.
He said eighth-graders are in the middle of a beta-test, which he said has proven very successful.
For that grade level, students are assigned a number and then each time they come into a classroom they place their phones into a pocket with that some name number.
They are considering this method for all grades.

Alden-Conger Schools

Alden-Conger Superintendent Allen Berg said students in his district of all ages are prohibited from using cell phones and other electronic devices during school hours, from the time the bell rings in the morning until 3:10 p.m. High schoolers can only use them during lunch.

Phones are expected to be put in their backpacks or lockers.

If students violate the policy, the device is confiscated and returned at the end of the school day for the first offense. For the second offense, a parent has to come in before 4 p.m. to get the phone — and if they don’t, it will stay in the office overnight. For the third offense, there is a meeting with parents.

He said, while they have had to deal with some violations, overall the policy has worked well.

“I think it’s really nice that all the expectations are laid out,” Berg said.

Glenville-Emmons Schools

The Glenville-Emmons School District cell phone policy states cell phones are not allowed during instructional time, though students are able to utilize them during their passing time, lunch time or any other free time.

The minute they cross into the classroom, however, they are not allowed there, he said, noting they can be kept in bookbags or lockers.

“We don’t let cell phones into the classrooms,” Berg said.

He said students have been respectful of the policy, and he has heard positive reviews from the staff.

“They have really enjoyed not having that extra distraction in the classroom,” he said. “They also like that there’s a policy in place and something followed closely.”

He said he thinks cell phone use is a big concern, and he agrees it needs to be studied further.

“During the school day, your job is to be there to learn,” he said. “We need to make sure our students are not distracted.”

United South Central

United South Central Schools recommends that cell phones and other electronic devices not be brought to the school building. If they are brought to school, however, they are not allowed to be used, visible or audible each school day from 8:20 a.m. until 3:06 p.m. — including instructional time, passing time, lunch breaks and activity times.

The district takes its policy a step further and requires student cell phones to be turned off or placed in airplane mode and then stored in school-supplied Yondr Pouches, which are lockable magnetic pouches that keep the devices secure and inaccessible during the day. Student cell phones cannot be carried on the person, kept in their pockets or stored visibly.

The only exception is for students who use their cell phone to monitor a medical condition. They are allowed to have their cell phone with them at all times but must follow all other expectations of the policy.

The policy also states students may not use a device to record, transmit or post photos or videos of a person on school grounds or the bus without permission of an administrator in addition to the people who are being recorded.