A cell phone ban during school hours is on the horizon for Knoxville High School.

At Monday’s Knoxville School Board meeting, a recommendation was presented to the board by the School Improvement Advisory Committee that cell phones would not be permitted for students to use during school hours. After significant research and discussion by the committee, they felt that this policy would benefit the future of education and well being of students in the district. 

In the presentation given, it stated that research shows phones continue to be a distraction in the classroom and contribute to limited social interaction, cyberbullying, and stress/anxiety. The new policy would mean that phones can’t be used during the school day, have to be stored in lockers, and there will be clear consequences for violations. The board was unanimously in favor of this, along with 87% of high school staff members. The district is also looking to get out in front of this policy change as Governor Kim Reynolds has stated that one of her top legislative priorities for 2025 is to ban phone use by students in schools statewide. Students already are not allowed to use phones during instructional time in the classroom and Superintendent Cassi Person says they have seen success with other technology policies that have been implemented.

“Earlier this year we had modified our technology policy so students couldn’t have their cell phones in class with them during instructional time and they could not have ear pods or earphones with them either and we have seen great success with that. Many school districts in Iowa also went a step further and said no devices from the beginning of the school day to the end of the school day and our SIAC felt like that was the direction we should go.”

This policy is expected to be implemented for term three of the school year and will look to be officially approved by the board on January 13th. The district hopes some benefits from the cell phone ban will include improved student focus and engagement, enhanced teacher-student interaction, increased opportunities for social interaction, and a reduction of distractions.