Under the plan described in a memo to the School Committee, students in pre-K through grade 12 would be required to keep personal devices off and secured for the entire school day. The proposed policy would include phones, smartwatches, tablets, personal laptops and Bluetooth-connected devices such as AI glasses.

Individual school leaders would decide how devices are stored. Options could include lockers or secure pouches. Students would still be able to use school-issued devices for coursework.

The memo, written by Cory McCarthy, the district’s chief of student support, and Dennisse Rorie, director of the Office of Youth Leadership, says the district aims to support students’ mental health, academic engagement and school culture by creating a distraction-free environment.

Exceptions could be made for students whose Individualized Education Programs or other accommodations require access to a device to ensure a free appropriate public education. The proposal remains under consideration, and any policy change would need School Committee approval.

The district says it has been consulting focus groups and engaging the community as it weighs its approach. The debate is also unfolding statewide: Massachusetts lawmakers have discussed a school cellphone ban, while some districts, including Brockton, have already adopted restrictions.

Evidence about the effects of school phone bans is not settled. A large study published earlier this year found that teachers reported fewer classroom distractions, but found little evidence that bans improved academic achievement or student behavior.