It is the policy of the North Linn Community School District that students may not use or possess personal electronic devices during classroom instructional time.

Definitions

For purposes of this policy, a “personal electronic device” is a device that is used by a student to send or receive information or create or review content, including cellular and mobile phones, watches or other wearable devices in a receive or transmit mode, laptop or notebook computers, tablets, video game devices, portable media players, and any applications or programs installed by the student on a school-owned or issued device. A “personal electronic device” does not include a device possessed by the student for documented legal, health, and safety purposes and used solely for those purposes.

The “school day” is defined as once the first bell rings until the end of day school bell minus lunch period.

“Instructional time” is any time during which a student is under the guidance and supervision of licensed instructional staff or instructional assistants, including independent study time during the school day and homeroom.

General Rules

The following are the district-provided educational technologies and devices that will be made available to

students for instructional purposes:

LIST TECHNOLOGIES AND DEVICES

A student’s personal electronic device, not otherwise allowed to be used under this policy, must be securely stored at all times in a school provided device in each classroom at the secondary building and in the student lockers for elementary. 

A parent or guardian, after verification by school officials, may communicate with a student through the

school office. If there is an emergency requiring the student’s immediate attention, a parent or guardian may contact the school office or the district office. In the event of an emergency, the school will contact the parent or guardian by the method most recently listed by the parent in the school’s student information system immediately when it becomes safe to do so. In the event of an emergency involving the broader school community, the school will contact parents and guardians by the district wide mass notification system.

Violations of Policy

For the first offense in a semester of using a personal electronic device in violation of this policy, the student will surrender the device to school officials, to be returned to the student at the end of the school day. For the second violation of this policy, the student will surrender the device to school officials at the beginning of each school day and returned to the student at the end of each school day.  Confiscated devices will be logged and secured. For third or subsequent offenses, the school will apply the following consequences, as well as considering further

restrictions on the student’s use of personal electronic devices: student leaves the phone at home and a parent meeting to determine the next course of action. 

If the student uses a personal electronic device during the administration of any assessment, the student will

receive no credit for the assessment without the ability to retake and will also face the consequences identified in the prior paragraph. If the student uses a personal electronic device in a state or federal mandated assessment, the school will follow any protocols for that assessment’s security.

Student-Specific Exceptions to Policy

Petition by Parent or Guardian. A parent or guardian of a student may petition to allow their child to maintain access to a personal electronic device for a legitimate reason related to the student’s physical or mental health, based on the unique facts of the student’s case. The petition shall be addressed to the building principal. If not granted, a parent or guardian may appeal to the superintendent or designee, whose decision shall be final. A parent or guardian has the burden of providing a legitimate reason for allowing the child to maintain access of a personal electronic device contrary to North Linn’s policy.

Student Plans. A student who has a current Individualized Education Program, a plan under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, or health plan may maintain access to a personal device during an appropriate portion of the school day as documented in the plan. The device should be used solely in the manner necessary and documented.

Authority:

Iowa Code section 279.87

Approved  5-21-25    Reviewed               Revised