Cascade Schools Cell Phone Free

Cascade School District is committed to fostering learning environments that promote student learning, engagement, and health. Social media and constant access to personal technology devices create a significant barrier in our schools. The District’s current policies – which limit personal devices to educational use only – are not working, and we need to make some changes.

Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, Cascade School District will prohibit access to personal cell phones, smart watches, and wireless earbuds/headphones during the school day (defined as start of the day bell to end of the day bell) for students within our schools. Upper classmen would have access to personal devices during off campus lunch. You can read more about the specifics under procedure 2022P, found under school board policies and procedures.

We strongly believe that technology is critical for student learning; personal cell phones, however, detract more from these goals than help them.

We believe that if students don’t have their cell phones, headphones, or smart watches during class, they will be able to focus better on their lessons and connect more with their teachers and classmates. By removing these distractions, we can create a better learning atmosphere that helps everyone do their best and supports healthy social and emotional growth.

The District has begun the process of updating board policies to include new restrictions for personal cell phone use in our school. We have:

Talked with staff, parents, and students
Reviewed existing research on the impact of cell phones and the most effective phone policies for schools
Met with other schools who have put phone restrictions in place (or gone phone free) and learn from their experiences
Discussed policy updates during school board meetings

We will continue to work on this plan and look forward to your feedback at various forums. We want to thank you for your support as we strive to make our schools a more effective and healthy learning environment for our students.

Phone Free Schools Community Forum - November 19, 2024

Topic covered: Why we are doing this, where we are at in the process, what we heard in the surveys, and community feedback. You can review the presentation slides online here or download the PDF here.

Community Surveys

Family Survey Results

The District surveyed parents of High School and Middle School students, with 211 total responses. You can see the full survey analysis here.

83% of parents believe personal cell phones have a negative impact on student learning
73% of parents believe personal cell phones have a negative impact on student behavior
64% of parents believe personal cell phones give students exposure to inappropriate content
77% of parents believe personal cell phones reduce socialization and increase anxiety and depression

Student Survey Results

The District surveyed students of High School and Middle School students, with 341 total responses. You can see the full survey analysis here.

Students do not believe personal cell phones have a negative impact at school, which diverges significantly from teacher and parent perceptions.
Students do not believe cell phones cause a frequent distraction for teachers
About half of students say they use phones for academic purposes during class 3 or more times a day.

Staff Survey Results

The District surveyed High School and Middle School staff, with 34 total responses. You can see the full survey analysis here.

49% of teachers deal with cell phone issues 3+ times a day
20% of teachers deal with cell phone issues 5+ times a day
94% of teachers believe personal cell phones distract and reduce engagement in the classroom
55% of teachers believe personal cell phones cause bullying and peer harassment