JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. — A new law going into effect in June will require all school districts in Kentucky to adopt a no cellphone policy during instructional time. But in central Kentucky, Jessamine County Schools have had a policy in place before the state legislature even introduced the bill.

What You Need To Know

  • Jessamine County Schools banned cellphones during instructional time this past August 

  • Students are expected to put their phones in a designated pouch in each classroom 

  • So far, the policy has increased student attentiveness and decreased dependency on phones 

  • Come June, Kentucky law will require all district school boards to adopt some ban on cellphones

This was the first school year that Jessamine County Schools had a cellphone policy in their high schools. Before each class, students at East Jessamine High School are expected to put their cellphones in a designated pouch. Principal Chris Hawboldt said it’s a universal rule at West Jessamine High School, the Jessamine Career and Technology Center and The Providence School.

“Students are expected to put their phones in the pockets and if they don’t, then that’s on them. We’re not going to have our teachers chasing down their phones, but if we see a phone at that point, we know you’ve broken the rule we have set forth,” Hawboldt said.

Hawboldt said so far, the policy has yielded mostly positive results with fewer interruptions and distractions during instructional time.

“It’s allowed us to have more engagement inside of our classrooms. It has taken that crutch of I’ve got to have my phone away from always being there,” Hawboldt said.

While some districts totally ban device all together, Jessamine County high schoolers can have their phones during passing periods and at lunch.

“It gives them that time to be able to regulate ‘ok I can’t have it for these 55 minutes because I’m going to get it for this five or this 25 [minute] lunch period,’” Hawboldt said.

The cellphone ban in classrooms has also led to a decrease in dependency on cellphones and technology.

“There have been students who have said ‘I love this, it’s allowed me to disconnect’ and ‘I don’t feel like I have to respond because I have an excuse of sorry the phone was in the pockets,’” Hawboldt said.

While initially parents expressed some concern over emergency situations, Hawboldt said all cellphone pouches are placed in the areas of a teacher’s classroom where they’re instructed to hide in the event of an intruder. He said if a student has a personal emergency and needs excused from class, parents can call the office and their student will be alerted.

Hawboldt said it’s also slightly cut down on bullying, as most happens on social media. But it’s too soon to tell the true impact.

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