photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Lawrence school board members meet on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026.

To comply with a state law, the Lawrence school board will soon make changes to prohibit staff and students from communicating privately via social media.

The proposed policy is intended to prohibit two-way or private interactions between students and staff through social media regardless of whether it’s during or outside of the school day. Examples of prohibited two-way interactions online include private or direct messaging, comment-based conversations and other individualized messages with a student.

Board members approved a first reading of the new policy on Monday, which is intended to establish protections for students and staff. The policy is scheduled for final approval at the Aug. 24 meeting. The provisions of this policy do not apply to any virtual school.

“Communication with students and parents, including via the use of technology, shall be delivered in accordance with best professional practice, with the law, and shall be developmentally appropriate, considering the understanding, age, and maturity of students,” the proposed policy says.

In addition, the policy states that the expectation for employees is to only use board-approved communication tools for district business. While discussing some of the approved communication tools between staff and students, board member Shannon Kimball mentioned the district’s school-to-home communication platform ParentSquare and talking with staff via email.

The proposal also specifies how employees use social media for district purposes. It says staff must represent themselves in a professional manner; communicate information via one-way communication format only; monitor and manage a social media page or account to promote safe and acceptable use; and ensure confidentiality concerning any information that may identify a student.

In addition, board-approved communication platforms may be used by employees to promote school programs, activities, events or broadcasting one-way, public communications.

The state law that the policy is intended to comply with is House Bill 2299. Earlier on Monday, school board members took other steps to comply with the new law, which requires districts to implement a bell-to-bell personal communication device ban ahead of the upcoming school year, as the Journal-World reported.

Board member Kelly Jones said this would be a big shift for staff who have communicated with students in clubs and other activities, and she asked how the changes would be communicated with staff. Superintendent Jeanice Swift said all staff members will sign affidavits ahead of the school year outlining the expectations in the policy.

Jones said there is a larger conversation to be had about the use of social media, especially since it has such negative impacts on mental health, and she hopes this is just the beginning.

IN OTHER BUSINESS, BOARD MEMBERS:

• Discussed the budget for the 2026-2027 school year. Board members did not make any decisions on the budget on Monday, but staff proposed a property tax rate of 52.204 mills. This is a 0.141-mill decrease from last year’s mill levy, which was 52.345 mills. One mill is equal to one dollar of property taxes for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.

The public hearings on exceeding the revenue-neutral rate and on the adoption of the budget itself are scheduled for Sept. 20.

• Heard a presentation from Swift about back-to-school efforts in the school district ahead of the 2026-2027 school year. According to the presentation, a total of 1,396 new students have enrolled for the upcoming school year. In comparison to last year, there were 1,113 new students. Of the 1,396 students, 221 are preschool students.

• Approved the district’s participation in a 10-year, 80% Neighborhood Revitalization Area property tax rebate for a redevelopment project at 714 Vermont St. The project will turn a former garage and climbing gym into approximately 13,834 square feet of office space for the technology company Alarm.com. Both Lawrence city commissioners and Douglas County commissioners have approved their involvement in the tax rebate program.

• Approved a five-year memorandum of understanding with the Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center to continue providing career and technical education programs for district students. Peaslee Tech will provide and maintain the instructional facilities, labs, equipment, and tools needed for programming. The district will continue specified support services and pay $41,172 annually for designated instructional, office, and laboratory spaces.

• Approved the donation of a 180-square-foot easement at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School. The easement is needed for a Kansas Department of Transportation project, which will provide pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure improvements, intersection enhancements and roadway mill-and-overlay or reconstruction along Massachusetts St. from 14th to 23rd St. The easement is located at the intersection of Massachusetts St. and East 15th St.

• Approved the bid from Kruse Service LLC for an HVAC replacement project at the Lawrence school district offices in the amount of $233,174 and a 10% contingency of $23,317, for a total project cost not to exceed $256,491. The proposed improvements will enhance HVAC performance by providing more balanced room temperatures and increased energy efficiency.

• Approved contracted special education staffing services between the school district and AMN, estimated total $126,000; Brightstar, estimated total $100,000; Sunbelt-Blazerworks, estimated total $365,000; Supplemental Health Care, estimated total $800,000; The Stepping Stones Group, estimated total $300,000; Therapy Travelers DBA Epic Special Education Staffing, estimated total $225,000; ZEN, estimated total $309,000. These agreements for the 2026-2027 school year are estimated at $2,225,000 in total.