Staff Reports

Eastvale/Norco/Corona – The Corona Norco Unified School District (CNUSD) is working on implementing a new cell phone policy, but they are asking for parent, student, and staff feedback.

The new cell phone policy is expected to “enhance the educational environment and focus during instructional time” says a CNUSD news release.

“In alignment with State Legislation AB 272 & AB 3216 (proposed) all Districts are expected to have a cell phone policy in place by July 2026,” stated the news release. “Additionally, Governor Newsom has requested School Districts take action sooner than the deadline and has granted Districts the authority to regulate smart phones during school hours.”

CNUSD announced that they started working on implementing this new policy under the direction of their Board of Education.

The District’s hope is to “maximize student learning through elimination of distractions during instructional time. This may look different at various grade levels and at different schools.” They stated that the new policy will not ban cell phones on campus, but instead will aim to limit cell phone use while on campus and during instructional time. They discussed that most phone policies implement a “silenced and away” model, meaning they are not allowed to have them out during a defined portion of the day. “For high school this may mean no phones out during class/instructional time, but put away in a bag, backpack or pocket,” states the CNUSD FAQ page. “For intermediate and elementary students, this may mean phones silenced and away in a backpack all day.”

CNUSD is still working to establish disciplinary guidelines if students are caught using their phone. But what they do know is that cell phones will be accessible during an emergency. Also, students on an IEP will still have access to their devices, as defined in their IEP, especially if they utilize tools on a cell phone.

CNUSD is asking parents, students, and staff to provide feedback by August 31 to help in this decision-making process. They hope to implement a District Cell Phone Policy by January 2025.

Parents and family members are encouraged to complete the survey at www.cnusd.k12.ca.us while staff and students will be provided with a survey by their school site.

“Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Your input is invaluable as we work to create a positive learning environment for our students.”