On Tuesday, Aug. 12, the Ridgefield School District Board approved the first reading of a policy that would ban personal smart devices for kindergarten through sixth grade students and require an “off and away all day” rule for grades seven through 12.
The second and final reading is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 510 Pioneer St., Ridgefield.
Superintendent Dr. Jenny Rodriquez said the proposal comes after 1,200 participants took part in a district survey. Several respondents expressed concerns of increased anxiety, classroom distraction and bullying, among other issues, regarding cellphones and smart devices in a classroom setting.
“So, as I think folks are aware, given that we had 1,200 responses to our survey in our district of 4,200 children, this is the most we've ever had, more than double,” Rodriquez said.
She noted that 70.8% of respondents, the largest group, were parents with children in the district. Respondents also included 10.8% who are parents working for the district, 12.9% who are staff and a small number who are students or community members.
According to Rodriquez, 57.7% of respondents support a “no device” policy at the elementary school level, while 38.84% support an “off and away” policy. Most respondents, 61.3%, supported an “off and away” policy for middle/intermediate students, while a quarter of respondents supported a “no device” policy for the grade level. Only 9% of respondents believe high school students should not bring devices to school, and 39.5% supported an “off and away” policy, noting devices should be allowed during breaks and at lunch. Of the respondents, 47.7% supported a direct “off and away” policy.
“If this (were) a levy, all three of these would have passed,” Rodriquez said of the policies.
To help enforce the policy at the secondary level, the district is considering locking pouch systems similar to those used at concerts.
“The student will be able to keep their own phone with them all day long, but they will not be able to access it and use it,” Rodriquez said. “At the end of the day, it's a very easy magnetic unlocking system, and then they have their phone for after school.”
She said exceptions would be made for documented medical or special needs, such as students with Type 1 diabetes who monitor their blood sugar on a device.
Board members raised questions about earbuds, teacher exceptions for instructional use, enforcement consistency, multiple devices and parental concerns about tracking children.
“Where there's a will there's a way, and teenagers are incredibly inventive and innovative when necessary,” Rodriquez noted.
She added that requiring an adult to help lock the pouches each morning could also foster daily positive interactions between students and staff.
“Every kid every morning has an adult who's looking them in the eye and saying good morning, how are you today?” she said. “That probably does more to decrease disciplinary issues than anything else we could do.”
Rodriquez acknowledged that some parents may be uneasy, especially at the elementary level.
“We have a small number of families that feel like, ‘I want to track where my child is on planet Earth at every moment of every day,’” she said. “This is how children learn to make good decisions and become independent adults, and I promise we will keep them safe at school.”
Board approves $75.2 million budget
The school board also approved the district’s 2025-26 budget, totaling $75.2 million. Personnel costs remain the largest expenditure, making up about 85% of total revenue.
Special education continues to operate at a deficit, projected at $1,983,973 for the upcoming school year. The state provided $9,052,328 for the district this year, while expenditures are anticipated at $10,237,336. Supplies, materials and purchased services are projected to rise to $10,433,063 in 2025-26, up from $9,614,390 in 2024-25 and $9,480,802 in 2023-24.
The February-approved replacement educational programs and operations levy will provide $14,025,000 starting in 2026 for staffing, student programs, sports, facilities and operating costs. The capital and technology levy will provide $6,730,000 in 2026 for roof repairs, a third elementary school and continued laptop use in schools.
Current capital projects include roof replacements at Union Ridge Elementary and Ridgefield High School, along with the construction of a third elementary school, slated for completion in August 2026. Future projects include additional roof replacements at Ridgefield High School and South Ridge Elementary and other deferred maintenance work.
