A cell phone policy will be put into place for next year at Washington Schools. 

The Washington School Board held a discussion for a cell phone policy during the school days for students at their Wednesday meeting. Starting next year, Iowa school districts are required by state law to have a cell phone policy in place. House File 782 aims to help improve students’ learning and mental health.

The Washington School Board was presented with examples of other districts’ policies to discuss including, bell to bell which means no devices allowed from the first bell of the day to the final bell of the day. 

Superintendent Willie Stone asked the board for guidance on how to move forward with the process, asking if the community should be surveyed or if this is a decision that should be left up to the board. Discussions will continue over the next two months among the school board with a decision to be put into place by the August board meeting. The board decided to not survey the community. 

The ban on cellphones during instructional periods was one of the governor’s top priorities heading into the 2025 legislative session.