LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Earlier this year, Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., signed House Bill 208 into law, requiring local boards of education to create a policy that would prohibit students from using their cellphones during the school day.

Now, Kentucky's largest school district is looking at how it can create a policy that complies with the new law.

The Jefferson County Board of Education reviewed a presentation Tuesday of how the district will move forward in implementing HB 208, which requires districts to adopt policies prohibiting student cellphone use during instructional time, with exceptions for emergencies and medical needs. 

Board Member James Craig said he wants to take district policy further than what the state requires.

“We had a policy and have had a policy in place that generally prohibits their usage during instruction time, but the real challenge with this issue, and it's what is also absent from this bill, is how do you implement it?" Craig said. "This is part of our culture today; so are the negative effects of these cellphones as well." 

Craig said the board is considering whether or not to implement a top-down policy.

“Which tell schools, not only do we not want them inside of your classrooms, we don't want them in the hallways," Craig said. "We don't want them in cafeterias. We don't want to see them throughout the course of the school day because we know what they lead to." 

Nicole Humphrey, Jefferson County Association of Education Support personnel president, said she's in support of a full ban of cellphones for all schools and grade levels. 

“If there is a true emergency or they need help or they need to contact their parents or their parent needs to contact them, we still have school offices," Humphrey said. "I'm a school secretary; we still have people available to help. The students and parents communicate throughout the day." 

Fern Creek High School has already implemented a phone-free zone during the school day, serving as a potential model for the district. 

“If we can do it at a school like Fern Creek, we can do it anywhere,” Humphrey said.

Humphrey and Craig said it will be a team effort for this implementation to work in all Jefferson County schools.

“We need, we think, a little bit more information from our teachers and from our school leaders about how we can accomplish this mission that everybody shares," Craig said. "We know the harm that these cellphones are doing. How do we get rid of them and how do we improve outcomes? Next year is what we are going to solve ultimately with this policy."

The board has tabled the vote to revise the policy and plans to make a final vote May 13 at its next meeting. JCPS officials said while the vote is delayed, there is no question the policy will be in place on the first day of next school year.