Kansas students return to class without phones under new state law

JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.

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Kansas students are heading back to school this year without access to their phones, smartwatches or wireless headphones — a change driven by a new state law.

The law, passed in the spring, required school districts to have a policy in place by the start of this school year. Under the law, schools must prohibit student access to personal devices, requiring they be turned off and securely stored in a location that is not on the student's person.

Districts across Johnson County have responded with varying approaches.

Blue Valley's new policy requires devices to be off and out of reach. Shawnee Mission allows high schoolers to keep phones in their cars or lockers. Olathe students have the same option but can also use a school-provided CUBE storage station. Olathe purchased a station for every school at a total cost of $40,700.

Shawnee Mission said implementing its new policy came at no cost, but superintendents in both Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley have previously expressed opposition to unfunded mandates.

KSHB

Blue Valley Schools Superintendent Gillian Chapman said, "It's a significant unfunded mandate that is truly unnecessary."

The only exceptions to the ban apply to students with a 504 plan, IEP or a device that is a medical necessity.

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