Governor Mike DeWine signed Ohio’s new state budget on June 30 including regulations requiring students in grades K–12 keep cell phones put away during the school day. All schools, including Milford, are required to adopt these guidelines by January 2026.
In alignment with this new state requirement, the use of personal communication devices during the school day is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, cell phones, wireless earbuds, and smart watches.
Expectations in All Milford Schools
Cell phones must be turned off or silenced and kept completely out of sight from the start of the school day until the end of the school day, including study halls and lunch periods.
Devices must be stored in backpacks or locked in student lockers during the school day.
If a student needs to receive urgent communication from family or extracurricular activities, families should contact the school’s main office. Students also have access to their school email accounts, and coaches or extracurricular advisors are encouraged to use email for all team or club communication.
After-school activities such as athletics, clubs, and performances are not considered part of the instructional day. Students will still be permitted to use their devices during those times.
Students who do not follow this policy will face disciplinary action at the discretion of building principals or as outlined in the student handbook and building principals. Any additional adjustments of handbooks will be implemented through a board approved revision.
Milford Schools understands that changes like this can bring questions and concerns, especially around student safety. Please know that the safety of our students and staff remains our top priority. The district has made significant investments in safety measures across all schools and will continue to strengthen those efforts whenever possible.