Phones must be off and away in class from this school year

What happened

The superintendent told the School Committee he would bring a cell phone policy for a first reading in June, because state law requires phones to be off and away during instructional time from the 2026-2027 school year. He said the district was working with the high school and middle school leadership teams to write language that parents, students and staff could all follow clearly, and planned to roll it out in August for the start of the school year. Students had already trialled a phone-free day at the high school in late 2025.

Why it matters to families

This changes what every student can do with a phone during lessons, and it starts with the school year now beginning. Families were told the rules were coming a term in advance.

The evidence

The May 12, 2026 approved minutes record the superintendent stating that he will present the cell phone policy for a first reading at the June meeting, that per state law cell phones must be off and away during instructional time beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, and that the district plans to roll it out in August. The October 14, 2025 minutes record students proposing a phone-free day at the high school. The policy text itself is not in the collected record.

The source