Cell phone rules top changes at Tampa Bay schools (2024)

The morning of Aug. 12, more than 430,000 students in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties were expected back in school.

Some will be in brand-new schools — or, in the case of Hillsborough, different schools because of boundary changes.

They will see other changes, too — most notably, beefed-up policies concerning cell phones.

Each district added new restrictions, with the overarching aim to eliminate the distraction of phones and place added focus on classwork and in-person relationships. Their new policies are not identical, though, so rules will vary from school to school depending on the age group, the district and the principal’s preference.

Generally speaking, elementary school children will have to keep their phones stashed away during the school day, unless directed by teachers to take them out for instructional reasons. In the older grades, students will face similar limitations in their classrooms, though depending on the district, they might have permission to use the phones during lunch or between classes.

Districts have crafted exceptions for students with special health or medical needs.

Students are reminded that, as in the past, they are forbidden from taking unauthorized or improper photos and videos that would violate others’ privacy, with penalties if they do.

Administrators do not yet know how easy it will be to appease parents who like to be in frequent contact with their children, or students who have become accustomed to having phones within easy reach.

“It is an addiction,” Hillsborough School Board member Lynn Gray said when her board debated two policy options on July 23. “These kids and adults are addicted — I am sorry, some of us are — to the cell phone. And unfortunately for our children, it damages their emotional and social growth.”

Here are some other new developments and ongoing issues for the 2024-25 school year.

Hillsborough: New programs, tax showdown

Kenneth E. Adum PreK-8 Magnet School greeted its inaugural classes at a brand-new campus in South Tampa.

“Everything about this school is incredible — from the media center, to our musical program, to our soccer field out back with artificial turf,” said Principal Scott Weaver, who has enrolled 1,050 students, plus a waiting list of 600.

Stacked on the media center tables last week were fact sheets promoting the district’s Every Day Matters attendance campaign. Like most districts, Hillsborough is working to address a decline in attendance that followed the COVID shutdown.

“We expect all of our students to be in their seats on day one,” Weaver said.

Weaver and district leaders were speaking at an Aug. 7 back-to-school news conference, held at the precise time that county commissioners were responding to a judge’s order to allow the school district to hold a property tax referendum in November.

The commissioners voted to fight the referendum through an appeal. At stake is $177 million a year that the district says it needs to pay competitive salaries and fill teacher vacancies.

Hillsborough also is bracing for a continued loss of business to charter schools, which are funded by the state but operate independently. If the charter schools’ projections are correct, they will serve 41,000 students, which is more than 15% of the public school population. It is not known how families will react to the boundary changes approved in 2023 to ease crowding at some schools and fill seats in others. Under-enrollment led to the closing of five schools in June.

District high schools have added programs in order to remain relevant and competitive. These include a business academy at Freedom High School, a cybersecurity program at Wharton High and gaming simulation at East Bay High. Each of the 28 high schools will have Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) programs, which are similar to Advance Placement and International Baccalaureate.

District officials anticipate a continued influx of families, many from out of the country, to the Town ’N’ Country area. To serve them, they are preparing to open a service center near Alexander Elementary School later this year with a bilingual staff who can help with registration and other student needs.

“We want to make sure that parents have the resources and also the ability to be able to advocate for their students and navigate the system to ensure that their students are successful,” said school board member Nadia Combs, who pushed for the center’s creation.

Pinellas: A rare new school campus

For the first time in six years, Pinellas is opening a new school.

Mangrove Bay Middle is a partnership school sharing a complex on 62nd Avenue Northeast with the Speer YMCA. The school — on the site of the former Riviera Middle — offers a magnet program in health and wellness.

Middle schools are a special focus for the district, which is working to improve attendance in sixth through eighth grades. The district is expanding its “middle school experience” initiative that offers more extracurriculars and electives to eight additional schools as it takes steps to get more sixth graders into U.S. history in preparation for civics the following year.

In high schools, the district will provide new AICE classes including drama, business and accounting.

High school students will see a new exam exemption policy that gives them more flexibility in which courses they must sit for finals. The new rule allows students to exempt semester exams for as many as three courses in which they are averaging a C grade or better over both quarters, and have not missed more than five days in those classes.

Last year, about a third of Pinellas students districtwide missed 18 or more days of school, and the district is working to reverse that trend. Kindergarten and first grade had some of the biggest absentee rates, and schools are reaching out to parents with a campaign explaining the importance of being in school. The plan calls for ensuring every child has a positive connection with at least one adult in school.

Pasco: More pre-K, honors courses

The new Kirkland Ranch K-8 School in Wesley Chapel will open with prekindergarten through seventh grade, adding eighth grade the following year. A magnet school, it will blend world languages and entrepreneurship into lessons beginning in kindergarten.

The district is adding prekindergarten programs to four more schools in the fall, as part of its effort to improve early literacy initiatives. With this addition, it will have pre-K in 82% of its elementary schools, up from fewer than half three years ago.

Building upon efforts to provide greater access to advanced courses, the district is expanding its initiative of offering only honors-level or higher materials at certain schools. The program, which began at Cypress Creek High, is growing at Hudson High and moving into Anclote High.

Hudson High will see its community health and resource center fully operational. A partnership with Metropolitan Ministries, St. Leo University and Premier Community HealthCare, the center includes medical services, a clothing closet and food pantry and tutoring, among other opportunities.

The district is looking to boost its career and technical opportunities, particularly in the lower grades. It’s refashioning its STEM bus into a hands-on innovation station that will travel between elementary schools to give fifth graders more activities as they prepare for middle school.

On the safety front, the district has added more door locks throughout campuses as it enacts a new state law restricting access points. From building to building, doors will be locked during class periods, with each school setting up its own protocols for when students need to move between classes. Some might have to rely on escorts, while others might use swipe cards to get in and out, assistant superintendent Betsy Kuhn said.

”It really depends on the school. But you will see the doors being locked on all our campuses,” Kuhn said. “It will be a big change.”

Cell phone rules top changes at Tampa Bay schools (2024)

FAQs

What is the cell phone policy in Hillsborough schools? ›

The Hillsborough County School District recently adopted a new cell phone policy that requires students to silence their phones and keep them out of sight throughout the school day. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, high school students may use their phones during lunch.

What is an example of a school cell phone policy? ›

Elementary and middle school students will have their phones taken away for the entire day while high school students will be given back their phones during passing periods and lunch.

Should schools allow students to use cell phones during the school day? ›

They can be tools for safety, connection, and learning when used responsibly. Creating an environment where schools, parents, and students constructively use phones is possible. Allowing cell phones in school is not just about convenience. It's about providing students with tools to help them succeed and stay safe.

Are cell phones in schools causing a decline in the academic performance of our students? ›

Distraction: Cell phones can be a source of distraction for students, leading to decreased focus and attention in the classroom. Cyberbullying: Cell phones can contribute to cyberbullying, as students may use them to send hurtful messages or share inappropriate content.

How many schools let students use cell phones? ›

More than three-quarters of U.S. K-12 public schools prohibit non-academic cellphone use, according to a report from the 2021-2022 school year. But only 43% of public high schools have such a rule. And at many of them, like at Hickman High, the so-called bans are enforced weakly, if at all.

Should teachers be allowed to have cell phones in the classroom? ›

If phones are turned faced down on desks, it shouldn't be a problem for teachers, as long as the student is well engaged in class. One thing that should definitely not be allowed is teachers or staff taking cell phones and keeping them until the end of the day.

What states have banned cell phones in schools? ›

According to ballotpedia.com, four states, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, and South Carolina, have used legislation to ban cell phones in classrooms. Eight states, including those four, have some version of cell phone limitation during school.

What is some evidence that cell phones should be allowed in school? ›

Accelerated learning. One proven fact is that cell phones in school can help accelerate a student's learning. Students involved in social outlets like sports or clubs are able to excel in the classroom. Using virtual social tools can have that same effect and help students stay engaged in a classroom environment.

How do I block cell phones in my classroom? ›

It is easy to use a cell phone jamming device, and all you need to do in order to get it started is to push a button in order to interrupt a chat or conversation. Once the device is on, the cell phone will not be able to catch any signal and the phone will lose its value and get the students back in the class.

Should you let your kids have a cell phone in school? ›

In July, California passed a law that gives public and charter schools the authority to prohibit cellphone use in the classroom, except during emergencies or other special circumstances, such as when a doctor determines that a student needs a phone for health reasons.

Why should mobile phones be banned in schools? ›

A study in Chicago found that not only do mobile phones affect students' cognitive function, but that 'phone salience' (the knowledge that your phone is nearby, even when it is not used) has a significant impact on test performance.

Why shouldn't cellphones be banned? ›

Banning all phones and removing everyone's freedom to have a phone is unfair and unjust. Just because some people break a rule, that doesn't mean everyone should be punished. Compare the rule “no phones during class” to everyday crime.

Do phones help or hurt our education? ›

UNESCO reports that students get distracted by phones, that task-switching is cognitively costly, and that, in particular, weaker students' problems are compounded by distraction: The report shows that some technology can support some learning in some contexts, but not when it is over-used or inappropriately used.

What problems can phones cause in school? ›

Cell phones have been used for making threats to individual students, cyberbullying, instigating fights, and other school safety disruptions. Student use of cell phones during an unfolding emergency can distract their attention from safety and emergency response directions being given by school staff.

Why shouldn't learners bring cellphones to school? ›

Studies have shown that having their phones out while studying can reduce students' concentration by 20%, negatively impacting their learning. Crucially, even if students weren't actively using their phone, simply having it within their line of sight distracted them.

How do schools deal with cell phones? ›

Develop a classroom culture, inclusive of procedures and consequences, whereby all cellphones are turned off (yes, actually off) at the start of class and placed in their designated location until the teacher decides he or she wants them included as part of the lesson.

What is the homework policy in Hillsborough County schools? ›

HOMEWORK Hillsborough County policy requires homework be assigned to all students on a regular basis. The homework assignment is approximately 30 minutes in length for students in grades K, 1, 2 and 3 and approximately 45 minutes in grades 4 and 5 however, times may vary by teacher.

Should cell phones be allowed in school in case of emergency? ›

No student shall be prevented from using his/her cell phone in case of an emergency, except where that use inhibits the ability of school district employees to effectively communicate instructions for the safety of students.

Why should cell phones be allowed in school article? ›

One proven fact is that cell phones in school can help accelerate a student's learning. Students involved in social outlets like sports or clubs are able to excel in the classroom. Using virtual social tools can have that same effect and help students stay engaged in a classroom environment.

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