A major topic of discussion in recent months and even years has been changing the current Coronado Unified School District (CUSD) cell phone policy. At the March 12 CUSD board meeting, Superintendent Mueller presented a report focused entirely on revision options to the current policy. While no action was taken at this meeting, this report was meant to encourage open discussion and suggestions from both the board and the public before any decisions are made in April.
The report listed the following options for discussion/consideration:
No change to policy.
Update policy across the four school sites. (All sites incorporate secure, lockable device bags. Total Cost: $76,869.23.)
Differentiate policy by level (elementary, middle, high).
Pilot lockable bags at Coronado Middle School only. Total Cost for CMS: $25,328.93.
Strengthen and enforce policy on cell phone/smart devices at SSE and VES.
Strengthen and enforce policy on cell phone/smart device use at CHS during instructional time.
Explore/create other enforcement options for restricting smart device use in accordance with CA Ed Code 48901.7. (Examples include classroom lock boxes, strict and consistent enforcement of policy in alignment with the Discipline Action Guide.)
Several students approached the podium during public comment to state their personal views on the current cell phone policy and/or possible changes. These students all seemed to agree that a different policy based on school sites (Option C) is in the best interests of both younger students and those at the high school level. They noted that while phones should be restricted in class for high school students, taking them away entirely would not help teach them to navigate real-life scenarios, where they will constantly be surrounded by technology and expected to set their own boundaries.
Coronado Middle School Principal Brooke Falar then spoke, stating that she would like to see a complete phone ban at the middle school. She said that no matter what CMS has implemented, students have found a way to continue to use their phones on campus and in classrooms. She noted that students are not just using phones to text home but for a number of other reasons, and that this has become a safety issue. She said a lockable phone pouch while on campus was a good place to start for the middle school.
During the board discussion on the item, all Trustees seemed to agree that a change is needed and that more restrictions are the best course of action. Trustee Palacios-Peters noted that, prior to hearing public comments, she was more in favor of Option B (a blanket change across all four school sites), but now she agrees with the student speakers and believes a different policy should be created for each school site. She agreed that a pilot of a phone pouch at the middle school level would be a good first step.
Student Boardmember Kouli asked which option each Trustee was leaning toward. While Trustee Sandie stood firm in his view that all CUSD school sites should implement a bell-to-bell, day-long, no-phone policy, each of the other Trustees reiterated their support for Option C, particularly the implementation of locked pouches at the middle school level. President Cavanaugh said she would also support the same pouches at the elementary school level, given the abundance of smartphones and smartwatches at younger and younger ages.
The main concern seemed to be what to do at the high school level, with such large age and maturity gaps between freshmen (13-14) and seniors (17-18). Trustee Lee suggested the possibility of separate policies not only for the different school sites but also for the different grades within the high school. President Cavanaugh requested more specific options for the high school level, given that the current Option C only calls to “strengthen and enforce policy on cell phone/smart device use at CHS during instructional time,” with no specific plan for how this will be implemented.
Kouli mentioned that a “lock box” option at the high school is, in his opinion, the best option. He claimed that cell phones are not creating a cultural problem at the high school level. The main problem, he said, is that cell phones are being used during instructional time; the lockbox would solve that problem. This way, students would still be able to use their phones during breaks and lunch. It was noted that students in other school districts have found their way around both the pouches and the lockboxes; therefore, there may be a need for more specific expectations, uniform enforcement, and updated disciplinary guides for such situations.
After the discussion, it was clear that a change was coming, and the main question now is exactly what that change will be. The option to differentiate by school site was the most widely supported at this time. This could look like a bell-to-bell phone pouch at the middle school level, where phone use has been problematic and even detrimental in the last few years. At the high school level, it seems that the option to have students place devices in a lockbox only during instructional time was the most favored. It is still unclear which option is best for the elementary school level. For now, all options are still on the table.
Superintendent Mueller said staff will use all the information presented and discussed at this meeting to develop a more specific approach for each school site/grade level. This proposed revised policy will be brought back in April for action. Mueller noted that, no matter what, this policy can continue to change and evolve should the need arise.
Look for more coverage of the March 12 CUSD Board meeting in next week’s issue of the Coronado Eagle & Journal
VOL. 116, NO. 11 - Mar. 18, 2026
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