The Kansas State Board of Education is pushing ahead with drafting recommendations for public school districts on use of technology in classrooms and crafting a potential mandate that local school boards implement policies controlling student access to computers.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
The Lawrence school board on Monday unanimously gave final approval to a new cell phone policy prohibiting students from using personal electronic devices throughout the school day.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
The Lawrence school district is shifting to a stricter personal electronic device policy that will require students to keep cell phones out of sight and inaccessible during the school day, bringing the district into compliance with a new state law.
Starting this fall, Kansas will join at least 20 other states that ban student cell phones in K-12 classrooms statewide.
Cell phones are one step closer to disappearing from Kansas classrooms after the House passed a bill that would require a daytime device ban to public and private schools.
The House Education Committee sent the full House a bill recommending, rather than mandating, that public and private schools take cellphones and other devices away from students throughout the school day.
A bipartisan Kansas bill that aims to implement a bell-to-bell cellphone ban beginning next school year would override local rules and establish one of the nation’s most restrictive policies.
Hugo Phan / KMUW
A bipartisan bill introduced in Kansas would prohibit students across the state from using cell phones during school hours.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence school district administrators say visible cell phone use in class has gone down in both high schools since the new policy took effect, but engagement with younger students requires continued attention.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
The Lawrence school board on Monday will consider approving a purchase of snow blowers and hear an update on the new cell phone policy.
