South Pasadena School Board to Discuss Student Smartphone Ban, AI in Classrooms & New Health Benefits | The South Pasadenan | South Pasadena News

The South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) Board of Education will hold its next regular meeting on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. The meeting will address a wide range of topics, including the first reading of numerous new and revised district policies, approval of several student trips, and key financial decisions for the 2025-2026 school year.

The meeting will be held at the SPUSD District Office Board Room, located at 1100 El Centro Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030. The closed session begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the open session at 6:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend in person or watch the livestream.

For those wishing to address the Board, speaker cards must be submitted before the meeting begins. Comments are limited to three minutes per speaker. The full agenda and supporting materials are available on the district’s website.

Major Policy Revisions on the Agenda

The Board will conduct a first reading of updates to numerous district policies, driven by new state laws and recent court decisions. Key proposed changes include:

• Student Smartphone Use: A new policy will be developed by July 1, 2026, to limit or prohibit student use of smartphones at school sites, in accordance with AB 3216.

• Nondiscrimination and Harassment: Policies are being updated to reflect SB 1137, which expands the definition of discrimination to include the combination of two or more protected characteristics. Updates also address the Tennessee v. Cardona court decision related to Title IX regulations.

• Instructional Materials: A new court ruling (Mahmoud v. Taylor) prompts updates to policies on religious beliefs and sexual health instruction, affirming parents’ right to be notified and opt their children out of certain instructional content that interferes with their religious development.

• School Safety and Student Health: The Comprehensive Safety Plan will be updated to include high expectations for staff conduct and training. Other policies address suicide prevention strategies and opioid safety, including allowing students to carry fentanyl test strips and naloxone.

These policies will be presented for final approval at the October 14, 2025, board meeting.

Financial Decisions and Contracts

The Board is set to take action on several key financial items. It will vote to approve the 2024-2025 Unaudited Actuals Report, a state-required fiscal report that finalizes the previous year’s budget figures. Additionally, the Board will consider a resolution to adopt the annual Gann Limit, which is intended to constrain government spending growth.

Several significant contracts are also up for approval, including:

• An agreement with the Los Angeles County Office of Education for $9,100 to provide professional development on generative artificial intelligence (AI) for middle and high school faculty.

• Contracts with several non-public schools and agencies to provide services for special education students, totaling nearly $1.2 million.

• Approval of commercial warrants totaling $2,499,234.93 issued between July 31 and August 25, 2025.

• Resolutions to change the district’s health care provider to Self-Insured Schools of California III (SISC III) for all employee groups, a move expected to result in significant savings. The change would be effective January 1, 2026.

Student Enrichment and Recognitions

The agenda includes the approval of several overnight field trips for students across the district:

• 5th Grade: Students from Arroyo Vista, Marengo, and Monterey Hills elementary schools will attend Outdoor Science School in Wrightwood, California, in October.

• 7th Grade: Approximately 155 middle school students will travel to Pali Institute in Running Springs for an outdoor education camp from November 7-9, 2025.

• High School: Three SkillsUSA students will travel to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Washington Leadership Training Institute Conference from September 19-24, 2025.

The costs for these trips will be covered by parent donations, PTA funds, and fundraising, with assurances that no student will be denied participation due to an inability to pay.

Finally, the Board will formally introduce the new Student Board Member, Maeve DeStefano, and recognize the District Teachers of the Year.