The Tamaqua Area School Board on Tuesday approved a revised policy restricting student cellphone use during the school day.

Assistant Superintendent Stephen Toth said no changes or revisions were made to policy regarding electronic devices from last month, when the board approved the policy on its first reading.

The policy prohibits student use of cellphones and other devices during classes, except under direct teacher supervision. Devices must be turned off and placed in “teacher designated spaces.”

The policy covers electronic devices, which include cellphones, smartwatches and earbuds or headphones.

Lunch would be the only time students will be allowed to use their cellphones.

The revised policy mainly affects secondary students, who had been allowed to carry silenced cellphones and use them during lunch, study halls, passing between classes and in class with supervision.

Elementary students do not have access to cellphones during the school day.

Under the revised policy, cellphones and other devices would only be used in classrooms for educational purposes under a teacher’s direction. The other exception will be for medical reasons, such as a diabetic student needing to check an insulin level.

The district planned on pricing caddies, or similar bins or compartments, where the devices can be placed when entering classrooms or instructional areas.

A number of teachers in the district already use caddies in their classrooms, and other districts have had success using them, Superintendent Ray Kinder said last month.

Last week, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed legislation which will fund a $100 million pilot program to award grants to schools to purchase lockable smartphone bags which students would place their mobile devices in during class.

The statewide proposal was introduced by Sen. Ryan Aument, who believes the use of smartphones and time spent on social media by students has had a negative effect on them mentally, emotionally and academically.

Earlier this year, school Board President Larry Wittig said he didn’t see an upside to the use of electronic devices in school, and felt a prohibition would be helping students academically by reducing distractions and encouraging face-to-face, verbal communication.

Tamaqua Area’s administration, in revising its policy, hoped to take back some academic time with the restricted use of the devices in study halls and even at the end of class periods.

The district has already moved on purchasing caddies in line with its revised policy to ensure they would arrive in time for the start of school next month, Toth said Wednesday morning. The district purchase 54 caddies total, he said, and the cost was a little over $1,200.

“TASD will always explore grant opportunities when provided an opportunity to do so,” he said, adding that the district may be able to recoup the costs of the caddies through these grants.