Draft Tightens Phone Policy for Elementary and Middle School Students

Also, PPS would be required to equitably distribute funds to schools to implement the policy.

Principal James McGee demonstrates how the Yondr pouches work. (Jake Nelson)
By Joanna Hou

The newest draft of Portland Public Schools’ phone policy would strengthen “off and away” restrictions for elementary and middle schoolers. While high schoolers would still have access to their phones during lunch, the new draft requires younger students to stash away their devices all day, unless used for academic activities.

PPS chief of schools Dr. Jon Franco, however, recommends allowing high schoolers access to their phones during passing periods, too.

“Depending on the method used for ensuring phones are ‘off and away,’ there may be significant logistical challenges to enforcing the restrictions in between classes,” he wrote in a Nov. 12 memo to the committee considering the phone policy.

Like the previous policy draft, individual schools may implement additional restrictions. Policy committee board chair Julia Brim-Edwards has made her stance on enforcement clear: She wants to leave it up to the schools.

The other change in the draft concerns equity: PPS would be required to equitably distribute funds to schools to implement the policy. The equity modification would make enforcement with controversial Yondr pouches expensive: At $30 a unit, it would cost $725,700 to buy enough for every middle and high schooler in the district.

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