BALTIMORE — Maryland schools recently began cracking down on student cell phone use in class.
First it was Anne Arundel County Public Schools changing their cell phone policy last August.
Howard County Public Schools followed suit in February.
Now it's Baltimore City's turn.
"Under the policy, students may bring devices to school, but they must be powered off, away, and secured during the school day," the school system said in a release last week. "These and other changes will take effect on the first day of school, so please be prepared."
The City decided on new guidelines after conducting a pilot review at 25 schools this past year.
"A significant amount of research has demonstrated the positive impacts of limiting or forbidding the use of cell phones and personal electronic devices by students in classrooms and other school spaces," the school system stated.
Here are some positive impacts City school officials noticed with less phone usage.
- Reduced distractions and disruptions to learning
- Increased student engagement during class
- Improved student focus
- More efficient use of instructional time
- More positive school climates
- More opportunities to develop and practice social skills
- Fewer disciplinary problems and conflicts between students
- Reduced usage of social media
For more on the City Schools phone policy, click here.
As for the rest of the Maryland, the State Department of Education leaves phone policies up to each individual district.
