Valparaiso school board weighs local implementation after state bans student phones during class

The Valparaiso Community Schools board on March 11 heard an update on new state laws and began planning local policies to comply with them, including a newly signed ban on students’ personal wireless devices during the school day.

Mrs. Ashley Cruz, the district’s legislative liaison, told the board the 2026 short legislative session produced roughly 30 education‑related measures. She highlighted Senate Bill 78 — a bell‑to‑bell ban on personal wireless devices — and said districts will need to determine implementation through local policy and practice. Cruz also flagged Senate Bill 76, which addresses cooperation with immigration enforcement, and noted other bills (including HB1406, HB104 and HB1266) that could affect funding or educator pathways.

Why it matters: SB78 directly affects classroom management and student access to devices; the board must adopt local rules that conform to the statute while deciding practical details such as whether to use lockers or other measures to protect instructional time.

Cruz said associations and the Indiana School Boards Association are already discussing implementation and that some questions will likely be resolved as litigation or Department of Education guidance emerges. The board and district leadership agreed to solicit teacher feedback and to analyze options before adopting a formal local policy.

The board did not take any formal votes on policy at the meeting. Members emphasized a desire to follow the law and its intent — preserving instructional time and reducing social pressures tied to devices — while seeking workable solutions for staff and students.

Next steps: district staff will gather input from teachers and return to the board with implementation options once additional guidance or clarifications are available.