Overwhelming research has demonstrated the positive impacts of limiting or forbidding the use of cell phones by students in classrooms and other school spaces. During the 2024-25 school year, Baltimore City Public Schools is exploring different strategies to limit the distractions to learning caused by the devices with the needs of our community.
City Schools believes there is an urgent need to curb the negative impacts of social media and cell phone use on student learning, mental health, safety, and well-being. This urgency meets the threshold of constituting “school-climate-related disturbance.” We want to remind school communities that school leaders are empowered to develop systems that apply Board Policy fairly to all students.
Actions we are taking this school year include:
Cell phone use pilot: For the 2024-25 school year, 25 schools are participating in a pilot program to test different methods to limit students’ cell phone use. Participating schools have devised their own policies and are using some combination of strategies that include locking pouches (Yondr), collecting phones and securing them in the classroom, securing them in a central location, and using incentives.
Approximately 19 elementary or middle schools and six high schools have joined the pilot (see the list below). Most of the K-8 schools are focusing their efforts on the middle grades, though some are including grades four and five. Participating schools have received up to $10,000 to implement the pilot.
Policy review: At its February 17, 2025 meeting, the Board of School Commissioners is scheduled to consider changes to Board Policy JICJ and JICJ-RA (Student Use of Portable Electronic Devices). The Board’s Policy Committee received an initial report on the cell phone pilot and policy update, which you can read here. City Schools invites you to submit your feedback to the Board on potential changes, which include:
Prohibiting using devices during the school day, including passing periods, recess, and lunch.
Ensuring devices are powered off, away, and secured through the school day at all grade bands.
Clarifying City School’s systemwide rules for securing devices with the way devices are secured varying by grade band.
Highlighting how schools can seek approval from the Schools Office to use alternative methods for securing devices.
Clarifying student use of a device for instructional purposes.
Introducing guidance on how schools and staff communicate with families and the public during emergencies.
Clarifying how students will be able to communicate with parents/guardians during the school day.
City Schools continues to be committed to ongoing engagement with and feedback from school communities. The support of staff, students, families, and communities is key to our success in ensuring that all students achieve their full potential in safe and supportive school environments.
Cell phone use pilot schools: |
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