At the November 6, 2024, Prince William County School Board meeting, multiple parents addressed the board with concerns and feedback about the district’s pilot cell phone policy, which restricts student phone use during school hours.
The policy, which affects both middle and high schools, allows limited cell phone use for high school students during lunch and hallway transitions, while middle school students follow a stricter “off and away for the day” rule.
Among the speakers, parent Elizabeth Seip Card from Woodbridge raised concerns that teachers were spending valuable instructional time enforcing the policy rather than teaching, suggesting alternatives like offering incentives to discourage phone use.
Her son, Augustus, who uses his phone to access accessibility features, emphasized the importance of keeping his device for emergency communication, accessibility apps, and social interactions with teachers and peers.
Feedback from the meeting also revealed that parents want clarity on how the policy impacts emergency communications between parents and students. School officials responded that toolkits had been distributed to front office staff to assist with handling urgent communications from families, ensuring that essential messages reach students without disruption.
The district recorded a total of 218 cell phone-related infractions across schools since the start of the policy, with 23 students cited for multiple offenses. School officials are now weighing two policy options: maintaining the current restricted use model or implementing a stricter “bell-to-bell” off-and-away rule.
Board members are expected to discuss policy options further on November 19, with a potential vote on December 4, and are considering whether to implement any changes mid-year or at the start of the 2025-26 school year to ensure a smooth transition.
