PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The School Board of the City of Portsmouth approved Gov. Glenn Youngkin's cell phone-free education policy at their meeting on Thursday.
The policy limits cell phone use to just before and after school hours in middle and high schools. In elementary schools, cell phones are not allowed at all on school grounds. All students can use cell phones on buses going to and from school.
The consequences for violating cell phone rules range from a verbal warning on the first offense to an out-of-school suspension for the fourth offense, Portsmouth Public Schools said.
The school division said that in addition to limiting classroom distraction, the policy aims to address mental health concerns connected to cell phone use.
Youngkin issued an executive order in July to establish cell phone-free education in public K-12 schools. The final updated guidance was released Sept. 16 and school districts have until Jan. 1, 2025 to adopt policies that align with the state's "bell-to-bell" guidance.
