Lorain Schools cellphone policy remains unchanged for start of school year

LORAIN — Extensive changes to Lorain Schools' cellphone policy will wait until the second half of the school year. The Lorain school district, like other districts across the state, has been reexamining its cellphone policy before students come back this fall. That examination will continue, administrators said Monday, while students are held to the existing guidelines. At Monday's Board of Education meeting, teacher Sheryl DiFranco and Lorain Education Association President Julie Garcia questioned the district's plan for the upcoming school year, as a plan to require students to put cellphones in magnetic locking bags for the day was delayed during a July 29 special meeting. In mid-July, the board heard plans to update the district's cellphone policy to require children in sixth through 12th grade place phones in a locked pouch throughout the school day — including during class changes, lunch and study halls. Those Yondr brand pouches and corresponding locking/unlocking stations would cost about $76,500. On Monday, Assistant Superintendent Michael Scott said the current policy, as written, allows for students to use their phones between classes, before and after school and during lunch as long as they are not a distraction during classes. Ahead of the school year, the district announced on its website an "Away for the Day" model at the high school and middle schools. While not a complete policy overhaul, it requires personal communication devices, like cellphones, be turned off and out of sight during class, but grants exceptions on a case-by-case basis for health-related reasons with doctor's documentation, or in alignment with the student's Individualized Education Plan as approved by an administrator. Violations, according to the website, will result in the student's phone being confiscated, and an adult retrieving it from the school office. Scott recognized there were concerns from families about being able to reach their child if an extracurricular was canceled, as the building's office staff may be tied up with calls from other caregivers about the same issue. Scott and Superintendent Jeff Graham said conversations around the policy will continue with staff during their first week back from summer break and with community members. Ohio House Bill 250, signed into law earlier this year, sparked reviews of cellphone policies in many districts. The law requires schools to have a policy limiting cellphone use during class time, and that policy must be in place by July 2025 for the 2025-26 school year. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.