via VADOE News Release

Virginia K-12 students in public schools will soon be banned from using cellphones or other personal communication devices such as smartwatches from “bell-to-bell” during school. The devices must be turned off and stored in backpacks, lockers, pouches or another location off the student.

The Virginia Department of Education released its final guidance on Tuesday, after a 30-day public comment period. School divisions have until the end of the year to update their policies. 

The most stringent guidelines apply to elementary schools, where students will be barred from using their phones inside the building or on school property, including before and after school. Whether middle school students can use their devices before or after school is left up to local divisions. At the high school level, students can use their phones before or after school hours.

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Editorial:

In Tuesday’s news release, VDOE officials cited a recent poll of Virginia voters that showed nearly 70% supported a cellphone ban, including during lunch and breaks. The release states that the poll results align with the “broad, bi-partisan” feedback the department has received. The release states that one of parents’ biggest concerns is reaching their children in emergencies. The final guidance includes suggestions for school divisions on creating effective communication plans for emergencies including to “overcommunicate” with families and increasing the frequency of messages during emergencies. The guidance gives divisions the choice of allowing their students to access their phones in an emergency but states that protocols should be clearly communicated to students and parents.

The news release states that many students wrote in requesting to use their phones during lunch.

Nour Habib of The Virginian-Pilot contributed to this report.