Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices

Policy JFCK, adopted by the Portland Public Schools School Board in June 2025, sets new requirements for student use of personal electronic devices during the school day. The policy states that personal electronic devices not issued by the school district will not be available or accessible to students during the school day, defined as the time between the first and last bells of the academic day. The full policy can be read here: Policy JFCK - Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices

This policy was adopted with the goal of promoting student health and well-being, as well as fostering more positive and focused learning environments. The push for a new policy came from teachers and families across the district who expressed growing concern about the significant disruption that personal electronic devices, particularly cell phones, were causing in classrooms. By limiting the use of these devices, we aim to reduce distractions, encourage face-to-face interaction, and create a climate where students can thrive academically and socially.

As defined in the policy, a "Personal electronic device" is a "device that electronically communicates, sends, receives, stores, reproduces, or displays voice and/or text communication, media, or data communication." This includes, but is not limited to, cell phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, and gaming devices. Under the policy, personal electronic devices that are not issued by Portland Public Schools shall not be available or accessible to students for the duration of the school day. The "duration of the school day" is defined as "the time from when the first bell rings indicating the start of instructional time, to the dismissal bell at the end of the academic day."

Students may possess personal electronic devices on their way to and from school. However, all devices must be put in airplane mode or turned off and stored away upon entering the school building and remain inaccessible until the student leaves the school campus. For students in elementary school, the device must be stored in their bag in their cubby. For students in middle and high school, any personal electronic device brought to school will be required to be placed in a locked Yondr pouch upon arrival. For students attending PATHS, personal devices will be stored in lockers provided by the school. The pouches will be unlocked as students leave the school campus.

Yes, this policy applies to all students while they are on Portland Public Schools property. This includes students attending PATHS, regardless of their sending school. PATHS will provide cell phone lockers for students to store their devices while they are at the school.

A Yondr pouch is a soft, personal electronic device case that students lock their device in upon entering the school building. The student maintains possession of the device while it is in the locked pouch. The pouches can only be unlocked using a special device that is located in designated areas, such as the main office. This allows students to keep their device with them, but prevents them from using it during the school day.

We strongly encourage students to leave all personal tablets and laptops at home. The district provides a school-issued device for every student to use for academic purposes. If a student brings a personal tablet or laptop to school, they will be required to follow the school's specific procedures for storing it throughout the school day (usually in the front office).

Students are required to have their devices put in airplane mode or turned off and stored away. If a student is found using a personal electronic device during the school day, the device will be taken by an administrator and the Positive Behavior Response protocol relevant to the student's grade level will be implemented.

High school students with open-campus lunch privileges or those leaving for internships or other educational programs may have their pouch unlocked before they leave and must lock their device again upon their return to campus. This allows them to use their personal electronic device while off campus, but ensures they are not using them during instructional time.

The policy applies to all school-sponsored activities, including those that take place off-campus. Students must adhere to the policy throughout the field trip or fieldwork visit.

If a student is found with a personal electronic device during the school day, the device will be confiscated and the relevant Behavior Response Protocol for the student's grade level will be implemented.

In the event of an emergency at a school, Portland Public Schools will send a communication to families of students at the affected school as soon as possible to alert them to the situation and then will provide subsequent updates as soon as possible. These communications will be sent via ReachMyTeach and, should it become necessary, will include information on if and when students will be released from school and where parents/guardians should pick up their children, if needed. Further information on PPS’ emergency response plan can be found on our website.

If you need to contact your student during the school day for an urgent matter, please call the main office. The office staff will relay your message to your child.

If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian during the school day, they can do so by asking a teacher or administrator to use a school phone.

Athletics coaches and after-school advisors will have access to ReachMyTeach to send messages to their students in a timely manner. They will be directed to communicate with students through this channel or through the main office.

The school will provide district-issued technology to support language learning and translation, as appropriate.

The district will provide school-owned devices or equipment to support classroom activities that previously relied on personal devices. This may include calculators, cameras, or other specific tools needed for coursework.

The district will provide each student with a school-issued Chromebook for instructional purposes. In cases where a different type of technology is required for a particular course, the school will provide the appropriate device to students enrolled in that class.

Exceptions to the device-free schools policy will be very limited and rare, only to be made when other viable options for addressing a need or concern are not available. Exceptions will generally be limited to documented health-related needs (e.g., a student whose insulin pump or other health device is controlled by their cell phone) or specific learning-related needs, as defined by an IEP or 504 plan (e.g., a student who requires a specialized personal tablet to support communications that cannot be provided by the school). The school principal/lead teacher must be immediately notified by the school’s special education coordinator if an exception is requested through the IEP or 504 process. The principal/lead teacher or their designee will then work with the IEP team and other school staff to determine a plan for implementing the specific requirements of the IEP or 504. They will also notify their Assistant Superintendent and the Senior Director of Special Education and Student Support via email of this exception for tracking and support purposes.

Any other requests for exceptions must be made directly to the school principal/lead teacher via email. The principal/lead teacher will discuss the details of and reason for the request with the family and determine if it warrants further consideration. If the principal/lead teacher recommends that an exception be made due to rare circumstances that cannot be addressed in another way, they will send their recommendation to the Superintendent or their designee, who will review and approve or deny the request.