Schools in B.C. may look a little different when classes kick off on Sept. 3, as the province has mandated restrictions on students’ cellphone use.
The province first announced the rules in January, saying the restrictions would help children learn without distractions and help them stay safe amid concerns of online harm.
While the province’s mandates have been issued to each of its 60 school districts, it’s up to district administration to enforce the rules and create their own policies.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming cellphone and personal digital device restrictions in B.C. schools.
Students going back to school next week will see new rules around cellphones. The province earlier mandated all 60 school districts to restrict cellphone use in classrooms. As Pinki Wong explains, the move is intended to cut down on distractions and encourage safe social media use.
How will the rules be enforced?
The actual rules banning or restricting cellphones are up to each individual school district.
It will largely be left up to the individual instructors and teachers when it comes to enforcing the policies, according to those reviewed by CBC News.
Many policies, for instance, require students to store phones in a locker or a teacher’s desk during instructional periods — and to only use phones when it is appropriate, such as for digital literacy sessions.
Teachers have expressed concern about the idea of enforcing restrictions, saying it would add to their workloads and potentially lead to conflict with students.
Will every school district’s policy look the same?
Some districts have banned cellphones outright for kids in elementary school from “bell to bell” or the start of the day till the end. And for secondary schools, most districts restrict cellphone use to non-instructional times of the day.
The province is reminding parents and students that cellphones and other digital devices will be restricted in B.C. schools when pupils return to school next week. The premier says the rules will be the same across the province but how they are implemented will vary between school boards. CBC’s Meera Bains reports.
Dozens of the district policies reviewed by CBC News say case-by-case exceptions can be made for students who need to bring their cellphones to school, and there will be communication between school administrators and parents.
The province has a list of tips for parents, students and school staff that cover everything from limiting usage to raising awareness about threats.
Are there accommodations for those with disabilities?
Separately, the provincial support guide for the new rules say district codes of conduct should address accessibility and accommodation needs for students with disabilities.
“Codes of conduct may consider the use of assistive technology on personal digital devices at school to support student accessibility, communication, and autonomy,” the guide states.
The government also said digital devices should be appropriate for a child’s development stage and that proper usage should be taught.
Why is the province rolling out the policy?
In drafting the mandate, the province cites research that found that removing cellphones from classrooms could reduce students’ temptation to check their devices, play games and surf the web.
The province says this has the effect of “consequently enhancing their ability to focus and thus improving their performance due to greater intake and memory of academic material.”
In addition to the concerns of cellphones detracting from the learning experience, officials have cited increasing fears of cyberbullying, sextortion and the harmful effects of social media.
However, other research on the topic has found conflicting results, with academics set to further study cellphone bans as the years go on.
How have teachers and administrators reacted to the rules?
Both teachers and administrators say districts have had digital device rules for years — and not much might change as the province rolls out its restrictions.
Helen McGregor, superintendent and CEO of the Vancouver School Board, said educators will monitor the process.
“We’re going to be evaluating and learning from the implementation of this process during the school year and learning from things that worked well, things we might need to adjust a little bit as we move forward,” McGregor said.
Many school districts, including School District 19 (Revelstoke), have formal feedback processes going on throughout the 2024-25 school year, as they evaluate their policies.
Clint Johnston, president of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation, said he expects the requirements will be similar to rules that are already in place.
“The needs for the use of technology vary across the province and are best left up to the professionals in the classroom — whether they’re helping education or hampering.”