Oregon Dept. of Education recommends schools ‘limit or restrict’ use of cellphones in new guidance

By ELIZABETH MILLER/Oregon Public Broadcasting

Students, parents, teachers, principals, and even Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek have all had their say in the debate about cellphones in schools.

Now, the Oregon Department of Education is weighing in with policy guidance issued Wednesday.

“We know that cellphones can offer benefits to students, including those who may have health and safety concerns, or where students with disabilities require assistive technologies for additional support,” said ODE director Charlene Williams in a press release announcing the guidance.

“At the same time, it is important for schools to work purposefully to create conditions that promote deep thinking and sustained attention, free from the constant interruptions that cellphones and mobile devices can introduce.”

The state agency’s guidance cites research on the harmful effects of phone use and specifically social media, saying, “excessive cellphone and social media use is correlated with an increased risk for anxiety, depression, and decreased attention spans.”

Earlier this year, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned against excessive use of social media, prompting discussions across the country about how to minimize young people’s use of popular applications like Instagram and Snapchat.

Gov. Tina Kotek, who previously expressed support for a “statewide approach” to limiting cellphones, said in the press release that cellphones can have a negative impact on student learning.

“Cellphones are a distraction and can harm students’ mental health and well-being if used inappropriately,” Kotek said.

Currently, there is no Oregon law that bans or restricts cellphones in schools, though the guidance cites a 2013 law that requires districts to have some policy about the use of “personal electronic devices” in schools. Since then, use of cell phones equipped with interactive apps has skyrocketed. In 2013, the Pew Research Center reported 37% of teens had a smartphone. In 2022, 95% of teens reported having access to a smartphone, according to Pew.

As with guidance in the past, the 28-page ODE document leaves decision-making up to schools and districts, only recommending districts “review and update” their policies. The guidance includes strategies in place in some schools, like cellphone “lockers,” as well as recommendations for both planning and implementing stricter policies.

ODE suggests districts work with staff, students, and school communities to develop policies, and says school leaders should educate those same groups once policies are created. The department advises schools not to be punitive when it comes to enforcing cellphone policies but to allow flexibility if students need their phones for medical reasons, or if they might benefit from assistive technology programs, like speech-to-text.

For staff, ODE requests adults in schools “model expected behavior” by refraining from using their cellphones during class too.

“Schools should provide staff alternatives to personal cellphone communication, including email, school apps, landlines, etc. for work-related communication,” according to the guidance.

Several schools and districts are already ahead of the state in creating their own more restrictive policies, as noted in ODE’s guidance. Case studies featuring eight school districts across Oregon show a range of policies, from a “class time ban” on cellphones in Bend-La Pine to a “full ban” in Lake Oswego, Nyssa, and North Clackamas.

A separate document includes details of individual school enforcement, reasoning, and early outcomes.

“Teachers and students alike have shared that it has helped to maintain focus and encourage classroom participation,” said West Linn-Wilsonville director of communications Andrew Kilstrom. At WLWV high schools, the focus is on making sure students are “present for learning” by keeping cellphones out or away during classes.

Oregon’s largest school district, Portland Public Schools, is in the midst of drafting a policy, though at least three schools in the district require students to use locked phone pouches.

Oregon is far from the only state contending with how to restrict cellphones in schools. Washington shared guidance on the topic back in August, and states from Ohio to California have statewide policies in place to either limit cellphone usage or require school districts to adopt cellphone-limiting policies.

However, some of these policies may come at a cost to school districts.

Using information from Oregon school districts using cellphone pouches, ODE reports the pouches cost $27 per school year on average per student, totaling more than $32,000 for a large high school. Other solutions, like hanging storage with cellphone pockets and lockable caddies are much cheaper, ranging from $800 up to $3,000.