Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s recent executive order to limit phone use in Virginia schools may align with a new pilot program being considered by Fairfax County Public Schools.
Signed Wednesday (July 10), the executive order directs the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to gather feedback from parents, teachers, and administrators to create guidelines for enforcing “cell-phone-free” classrooms in public schools.
FCPS is currently “reviewing” the executive order, a spokesperson told FFXnow. Since the state won’t release specific guidelines until this fall, it’s not clear if Youngkin’s initiative will interfere with FCPS’s plans to test a program requiring students to store their phones in lockers or pouches during class.
“FCPS first implemented cell phone guidance in the 2022-23 Student Rights and Responsibilities,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Planned work also continues to explore additional ways to address concerns regarding inappropriate cell phone use in schools.”
When the Fairfax County School Board met yesterday (Thursday), several members expressed their satisfaction with the executive order, noting that it seemed to align well with the FCPS pilot program.
“I read [the executive order], and then I looked at our policy… And I said, ‘Well, look at that. They’re pretty close,'” at-large member Kyle McDaniel said. “So, I’m confident that our existing policy is going to fit perfectly within that executive order, whatever that shakes out to be.”
FCPS students across all grade levels are currently prohibited from using their cell phones and other personal electronic devices during class, though high school students can use their phones between instructional periods.
However, in response to complaints from teachers and administrators that the current policy was ineffective, school board members directed Superintendent Michelle Reid in May to start collecting more data on student cell phone use to inform the creation of a new policy.
The superintendent said she plans to present a pilot program for select schools to the school board either this month or next, aiming to start the program by September.
Simultaneously, VDOE will gather data via “listening sessions” between now and Aug. 15 to create its own policy, which is also supposed to address processes for parent-child communication, students with medical needs, and emergency situations.
“Cell phones and digital media have caused pre-teens and teens to disconnect from the real world, have increased mental health challenges, and have caused significant disruption in the important daily learning opportunities in their classrooms,” VDOE Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons said in Youngkin’s press release announcing the executive order.
“Parents and teachers understand the importance of creating cell phone-free education in our schools so that students can focus on instruction and learning during the school day,” Coons continued. “We look forward to facilitating conversations around the danger to our children of cell phones, social media, and the impact of screen time and will focus on creating guidance that protects the health and safety of our students.”
According to Youngkin’s executive order, the VDOE must “issue final guidance” on cell phone use by Sept. 16. School divisions can adopt “age-appropriate policies and procedures” that are more comprehensive than the VDOE’s guidance before this date, but all divisions must adopt the new policies and procedures by Jan. 1, 2025.
Photo via Adrien/Unsplash
