Roanoke City Public Schools

Updated Cell Phone/Wearable Electronics Procedures: 2024-2025 School Year

In Roanoke City Public Schools, we are staying focused, working together, and moving forward in support of our students. We want all students to be engaged and feel safe every day. Student cell phone use can lead to disruptions, distractions, and affect our students’ mental health.

On August 13, 2024, the School Board approved new guidelines for cell phones and wearable electronics:

Off and Away for the Day: Grades PK-8

All cell phones and wearable devices must be off and out of sight during the entire school day for elementary and middle school students.

This means students may bring their devices to school but cannot use them while school is in session. A student may use a cell phone to monitor or address a health concern, with a verified note from a medical doctor.

Off and Away during Class Time: Grades 9-12

Students must keep cell phones and wearable devices off and out of sight during class time. Cell phones and other electronic devices may be used during hall transitions and during lunch.  A student may use a cell phone to monitor or address a health concern, with a verified note from a medical doctor.

How Families Can Help

• Please talk with your student about the importance of staying focused at school.
• Proactively talk with your student about after school plans, appointments, or activities before arriving to school.
• Remind your student how they can reach family when they are not able to access their cell phone, and how you can reach them in case of an emergency through the school office.

What the Research Says

The research is clear: cell phones cause students to be distracted and lose out on important class time.

• In the United States, 95% of teens (children ages 13 to 17) have access to smart cell phones.
• Students, on average, receive 192 alerts per day from their cell phones, about 11 notifications per waking hour, one every five minutes. Cell phones and their applications are designed to catch the attention of students, which is disruptive to both learning and relationships.
• Children spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on social media, and recent studies indicate that spending more than three hours a day on social media doubles the risk of poor mental health for adolescents.
• Even when students don’t check their cell phones, the presence of a phone impacts their ability to think.  
• Increased cell phone use has been linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues among children, as well as sleep deprivation.
• From 2019-2021, the rate of suicide has increased 167% since 2010 for girls and 91% since 2010 for boys.
• In the same timeframe, boys and girls experienced a spike in depression of 161% and 145%, respectively.
• About 72% of high school teachers across the U.S. say that students being distracted by cellphones is a major problem in their classroom.
• 75% of individuals (students, teachers, parents/guardians) who took RCPS’ cell phone survey in February 2024 said they believe cell phones are a distraction.
• Schools that have successfully implemented cell phone policies report that students are talking, interacting, laughing, and enjoying themselves. Research demonstrates these policies reduce bullying frequency, especially among students ages 13-16. They similarly have positive and significant impacts on standardized test scores.

Cell Phones in Virginia Schools

Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed Executive Order 33 in July 2024, which requires School Boards in Virginia to establish local cell phone-free education policies and procedures by January 1, 2025. Executive Order 33 is focused on “eliminating cell phone use during instructional time and addressing the mental health issues arising from children's social media and cell phone addiction.”