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Screen Time Task Force

During the 2025-26 school year, the Andover Board of Education has convened a task force to engage our school community to research, analyze and make recommendations related to screen time and cell phone usage in Andover Public Schools.

This task force, which includes teachers, administrators, parents and students, is meeting this fall and expects to have a recommendation for the Board of Education early in 2026.

The task force’s work comes after a statewide Blue Ribbon Task Force on Student Screen Time made several recommendations, most notably that districts implement a policy for K-12 students to store personal electronic devices in a secure location inaccessible to them during the school day. The task force also made other recommendations, including education on digital citizenship, having students take regular breaks from screens during the school day, and providing resources to help parents oversee home use of district-owned devices.

Below are additional resources regarding students and screen time. Please check back during the school year for updates.

Task Force recommendations

At its meeting Jan. 12, the Andover Board of Education heard policy recommendations made by the district’s Cell Phone and Screen Time Task Force that has been meeting this school year. This Task Force is composed of 41 parents, students, educators and administrators.

This Task Force built on the work done by the Kansas Board of Education’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Student Screen Time that met last school year. That state Task Force made several recommendations, most notably that districts should implement a bell-to-bell policy for K-12 students to store personal electronic devices in a secure location inaccessible to them during the school day, including during lunch and in between classes. 

Personal electronic devices (PEDs), under the Andover Task Force’s proposal, are defined as student-owned devices capable of cellular, Wi-Fi, and/or Bluetooth connectivity such as but not limited to cell phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, wireless headphones, gaming devices, smart glasses, or fitness trackers. This definition is consistent with the one used in the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Student Screen Time report. 

Currently, the district’s policies for PEDs vary based on building level. At elementary schools, PEDs must remain in student backpacks. At the middle schools, PEDs must be powered off and stored in student lockers.

Meanwhile, at the high schools, the use of PEDs during instruction time has been at the discretion of individual teachers. Students may also currently use PEDs during passing periods and lunch.

The Andover Task Force received input from teachers, students and the District Site Council. It also reviewed research regarding the potentially harmful effects excessive PED use can have on developing brains. The feedback shows that the current bell-to-bell policy in place in elementary and middle schools is effective and results in minimal learning distractions caused by PEDs. Based on this information, the Task Force unanimously recommended that the Board of Education adopt a high school policy that PEDs may be brought to school by students, but must be powered off and stowed away off the person (e.g., in a locker, vehicle, or backpack), before the 7:50 a.m. (AHS) or 8 a.m. (ACHS) bell. They are to remain off and not visible until after the dismissal bell at 2:50 p.m. (AHS) or 3 p.m. (ACHS), with exceptions for approved medical needs and situations deemed necessary by administration.

The Task Force believes this change will help our high schoolers be more focused and engaged in the classroom, more social in our hallways and at lunch, and more motivated to learn and enjoy their school experience. The PED policy at the elementary and middle school levels would remain largely unchanged. The updated PED definition will apply to PreK-12. 

Additionally, we are aware that there has been bipartisan legislation introduced in Topeka that could affect this policy. Most states currently have laws in place regulating the use of cell phones in schools. We will continue to monitor legislative developments in Topeka and will ensure that our policies comply with statute.

Also, the Task Force is recommending:

  • Updating communication on parental controls and monitoring Chromebook use.
  • Reviewing the district’s acceptable use policy (which governs district-issued devices and network use) to include more language that is specific to building levels.
  • Develop more systemic digital citizenship education, including the impact of screen time on mental health.

The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on these policy and procedural updates at its Feb. 9 meeting. If approved, the policy would go into place for the 2026-27 school year, and more details will be shared with students and parents.

We know that change can be difficult, so we will work diligently to answer any questions or concerns that parents, students and educators may have. Three of the most common questions we anticipate are:

  • Student/parent communication: High school students and parents will still have the ability to email one another from student Chromebooks during the school day. Additionally, students who need to contact a parent during the day may use a phone in the office to do so
     
  • Safety: The district is confident that the Raptor safety app all staff members use to communicate during crisis situations, paired with other lines of staff communication, is adequate to address our safety needs.
  • School Bus: The use of PEDs will continue to be permitted on school buses to and from school. Building administration has the authority to restrict the use of PEDs on school buses used for transportation to events and activities during the school day and for school-sponsored extracurricular activities (e.g., field trips, competitions, athletics). 

We plan to create a Q&A on the district Task Force web page. If you have questions, please reply to this email and we will respond and include the answer in the Q&A. Alternatively, you may reach out to your school’s principal with questions or feedback.

We want to thank the Task Force members for their service and others who provided input during this process. We look forward to next steps as we work to do what is best for our students and their future.

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