A committee of Jeannette City School District administrators and teachers will consider revisions to a proposed policy that would require mandatory classroom storage of cellphones and related devices.

The first proposed policy received a 4-2 vote from school directors Monday, but needed five votes to pass. Two members of the nine-person board were absent during the school board meeting.

In abstaining, Director Melissa Humberger said she wanted more information about the potential impact to teachers and punishment for violating the policy, should it be enacted. Directors Rachel Ramsey and B.J. Bortz opposed the policy.

Directors Timothy Mortimore, Chris Belville, Robert Kristoff and Janice Smarto cast the yes votes. Directors Timothy Carney and Marcie Werner were absent. Werner has been excused for medical reasons.

Superintendent Matt Jones said Tuesday the committee plans to meet over the summer to iron out some details with the proposal. It could be revisited in the future, he said.

The policy would have required mandatory classroom storage of any electronic device for students in all grades. It would have expanded an initiative started during the 2023-24 school year by teachers of seventh- and eighth-graders.

School officials have said that effort has been successful.

If the policy had been approved, school officials were prepared to buy storage boxes with compartments to hold up to 36 phones for each classroom. Under the proposal, phones would have been returned to upper level students between classes and at lunch, or at the end of the day for elementary students.

Schools across the country — including some in Western Pennsylvania — have limited students’ access to cellphones as government officials have increasingly advocated for restrictions. Some local school districts, including Woodland Hills, Plum and Monessen, have enacted similar policies.

Among K-12 schools, 95% of students have cellphones and more than 80% have smartphones specifically, Pew Research Center reported in January 2024.

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