Personal Technology and Smart Glasses in our Classrooms

As we welcome new technology into our daily lives, we want to ensure our classrooms remain safe, focused, and supportive spaces for all students to learn and grow. We are sharing some important guidance for students and staff members regarding an emerging category of personal tech in our schools: smart glasses (such as Meta augmented reality glasses) and other connected wearable devices.

These new wearable devices are highly advanced and offer impressive capabilities. However, they also introduce unique challenges in a school setting due to features such as built-in cameras, In-Lens Displays, AI Assistants, and Open-Ear Audio.

While exciting, these capabilities raise serious concerns regarding privacy and academic integrity. Board Policy JRCT classifies these wearables as Personal Technology Devices (PTDs) and provides the following guidance to ensure technology does not disrupt the learning environment:

• Elementary and Middle Schools: Students must keep all PTDs turned off and put away during the entire school day, unless specifically directed otherwise by a school employee.
• High Schools: Students must keep all PTDs turned off and put away during school hours when on campus, unless specifically directed otherwise by a school employee.
• Staff: While not explicitly covered in Board Policy, staff are also prohibited from using these devices because of privacy concerns. 

Students who require personal technology or assistive technology devices to access their education as part of a documented accommodation in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan will continue to have full access to their devices as specified in their plan.