Williamson County School District will no longer allow students to access their cell phones during the school day.
The county’s school board passed new rules on Monday for students’ use of wireless communication devices.
In addition to cell phones, these rules apply to smartwatches, earbuds, handheld electronic games, and non-issued school laptops or tablets.
According to the new rules that will start on August 1, 2026, they are intended to “ensure that instructional time and school environments remain free from unnecessary distractions and to promote student engagement, well-being, safety, and a positive school environment.”
The school district’s updated policy requires students to keep their electronic devices in their backpacks, purses, vehicles, lockers, or teacher-designated storage areas.
Electronic devices cannot be stored in students’ clothing, pockets, or on their bodies under the new rules.
Williamson County’s updated policy will apply throughout the school campus. If students are caught leaving class to use an electronic device, then they will be found in violation of the policy.
The school district has outlined consequences for students in elementary, middle, and high school.
For elementary school students, if they are found violating the rules for the first time, they will be placed in a cubby or a backpack. If they are found breaking the rules a second or third time, their cell phone will be sent to an administrator. For the second violation, the student will get their device back at the end of the day; for the third violation, a parent or guardian must pick it up.
The punishment for middle school students also has three offenses. If students are caught the first time, then they will be told to put the device away until the end of the school day. On the second violation, students will have their device confiscated and a parent/guardian will have to pick it up. The third violation for students may result in suspension or detention.
High school students have similar consequences to middle school students. The only difference between the two sets of consequences is that if high school students have a device confiscated a second time, then they will have to have a parent-teacher conference.
According to the updated rules, students can use their electronic devices only for a “specific educational purpose,” defined as “being used as a tool directly tied to the learning objectives of the lesson and under active teacher supervision.”
“Permission to use a personal device is an exception, not the norm, and should be revoked immediately if misused,” the rules say.
Teachers and staff are not allowed to give students phone breaks under the rules.
Williamson County initially implemented an electronic device policy in June, following Tennessee’s passage of House Bill 932, which required school districts to adopt policies to prevent students from using electronic devices during class time.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at zschmidt1717@gmail.com.|
