A new year means new laws in Ohio.
Three will directly impact how the school day looks for students.
The Lebanon City School district has already complied with these laws before they even took effect.
The Lebanon City Schools superintendent has had a close eye on the bills Governor DeWine signed into law this past year. He says nothing will change drastically in the district since the policies in place are already in line with what Ohio will mandate in the new year.
“We try to work very hard in all of these situations, even if it’s not law, to make sure we treat students as individuals,” said Superintendent Isaac Seevers.
House Bill 250, signed over the summer, requires schools to adopt policies limiting student cell phone usage in classrooms. Lebanon City Schools is ahead of the curve, having already implemented a rule that requires students to lock their phones in lockers during school hours. It’s had a positive impact on learning.
“We saw a decrease in student discipline. We saw an increase in student engagement, with academics and with each other,” Seevers said.
House Bill 214 allows students to take three days off from school for religious or spiritual reasons. Superintendent Seevers has always worked with parents and students to figure out what works best for everyone.
“We were already allowing students and families to miss for religious holidays, knowing that that’s the most important thing for them on those days,” he said.
There’s also a new bathroom bill that bans students from using school restrooms that don’t align with their sex assigned at birth. Seevers expressed confidence in the district’s current setup, which includes single-use, gender-neutral bathrooms alongside shared male and female restrooms.
“How can we show respect to the kids, to the families, the students that are involved in these discussions?” Seevers asked.
Other districts across the state with how to implement these changes. Retired CPS teacher Diana Piep said there can be challenges in enforcing policies like cellphone restrictions, especially in public schools.
“It’s almost impossible to learn, and it’s hard to get it away from students, especially in a public school,” Piep said.
Cincinnati Public Schools has already implemented a new cellphone policy where students need to lock up their devices in a Yondr pouch for the duration of the school day.
Time off for religious expression days starts tomorrow.
The bathroom bill goes into effect on Feb. 25.
Schools need to adopt a cellphone policy by the summer.
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