HCPSS MPIA Request #2025-117

Pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA), Md. Code, General Provisions § 4-101 et seq., I am formally requesting access to all records, communications, reports, and documents related to HCPSS Policy 8080 – Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools, and Social Media, specifically regarding the recent amendments related to personal technology devices and enforcement procedures.

To ensure full transparency, I am requesting any and all documents, emails, reports, meeting minutes, legal memos, internal discussions, consultant agreements, and disciplinary enforcement data relevant to this policy. My request covers the period from January 1, 2022, to the present.

Specifically, I request:
1. Internal Communications & Decision-Making
• Emails, memos, and internal correspondence (including those sent via HCPSS email accounts) between any of the following individuals regarding Policy 8080 and its enforcement:
• Superintendent Dr. Michael J. Martirano and any HCPSS administrative staff.
• Any HCPSS Board of Education members.
• HCPSS legal counsel, policy advisors, and any external legal consultants.
• Any principals, vice principals, or school administrators discussing the enforcement of Policy 8080.
• Any teacher advisory groups or committees consulted in the policy revision process.
2. Meeting Minutes & Reports
• Minutes, recordings, and transcripts from any HCPSS Board of Education meetings, working groups, or committees where Policy 8080 or personal device restrictions were discussed.
• Copies of any studies, research reports, or data analyses used to justify or evaluate the personal device ban.
• Records of any student, parent, or teacher surveys conducted regarding technology use, phone bans, or classroom distractions.
• Any formal or informal feedback from student advisory councils regarding Policy 8080.
3. Legal & Policy Justifications
• Copies of any legal reviews, legal memos, or formal legal opinions regarding the enforceability of Policy 8080 and its provisions on personal devices.
• Documents outlining HCPSS liability policies regarding confiscated personal technology (e.g., what happens if a phone is lost, stolen, or damaged in possession of an administrator?).
• Any disciplinary guidelines or enforcement procedures issued to schools regarding how Policy 8080 should be enforced, including specific punishments for refusal to turn over a device.
4. Contracts & Consultant Involvement
• Copies of any contracts, agreements, invoices, or payment records for external consultants, experts, or advisory firms hired to advise on Policy 8080 or student technology use.
• Records of payments made to any third-party organizations (e.g., educational consulting firms, legal firms, technology policy groups) in relation to revising or enforcing Policy 8080.
• Names and roles of any external organizations that provided guidance, research, or input on Policy 8080.
5. Disciplinary & Enforcement Data
Statistics on student discipline related to personal technology use, including:
• The number of student suspensions, detentions, or other disciplinary actions issued specifically for personal device use (broken down by school, grade level, and demographic data, if available).
• The number of confiscated devices per school per semester.
• Any data on the effectiveness of phone bans, including any internal reviews, disciplinary reports, or feedback.
• Records of complaints or grievances filed by students or parents regarding personal device confiscations.