5140-Restriction of Electric Personal Mobility Devices, Recreational Equipment and Skateboards

I. Statement of Policy 

The Board of Education is dedicated to maintaining a safe, secure, and orderly environment for all students, staff, and visitors. The Board recognizes the severe safety risks, collision hazards, severe personal injuries, property damage, and fire hazards associated with electric micro-mobility devices and recreational equipment. 


Accordingly, it is the policy of the Board of Education to strictly prohibit the presence, operation, storage, charging, or use of all electric personal mobility devices, hoverboards, and unauthorized recreational vehicles on all school district grounds and within district facilities at all times. Standard, non-motorized bicycles, skateboards/rollerblades, and non-powered scooters used strictly for commuting are the sole exception and must be operated in accordance with this policy. 


II. Definitions 


  • Prohibited Devices: Includes, but is not limited to: 


  • Electric Mobility Devices: Electric bicycles (e-bikes of all classes), electric scooters (e-scooters), hoverboards, self-balancing boards, electric skateboards, motorized unicycles, and any other battery-powered or motor-assisted personal transport device. 


  • Permitted Device: Standard, non-motorized, human-powered bicycles and non-motorized skateboards, trick scooters, rollerblades, roller skates, and longboards used for transportation purposes. 



  • District Grounds: All property owned, leased, or operated by the Board of Education, including school buildings, athletic fields, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, and outdoor recreational areas. 


III. Policy Guidelines 


1. Strict Prohibition on Campus 


  • Prohibited Devices (e-bikes, e-scooters, hoverboards, and other similar powered mobility devices) are strictly forbidden on district grounds at all times, including during school hours, extracurricular events, and non-school hours. 


  • Students, staff, and visitors are prohibited from riding, pushing, carrying, storing, or bringing Prohibited Devices or their associated batteries into any school building or onto campus property.


III. Policy Guidelines (continued) 


2. Prohibition of Indoor Storage and Battery Charging 


  • Due to lithium-ion battery fire hazards, under no circumstances may any electric mobility device or removable battery pack be brought into a school building or charged using district electrical outlets. 


3. Exception for Standard Non-Motorized Bicycles 


  • Standard, human-powered bicycles are permitted strictly for commuting purposes. 


  • Riders must dismount their bicycles at the boundary of school property or specified areas and walk their bicycles directly to designated outdoor bike racks. 


  • Bicycles must be secured in outdoor racks with student-provided locks. The district assumes no liability for lost, stolen, or damaged property. Bicycles are strictly forbidden inside school buildings. 


  • Students riding non-motorized bicycles to or from school must comply with all applicable Connecticut helmet requirements. 


4. Non-School Hours & Trespassing 


  • The prohibition of Prohibited Devices applies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Operating prohibited electric or recreational devices on school grounds during non-school hours is strictly forbidden. Violators will be treated as trespassers and reported to local law enforcement. 


5. Confiscation, Consequences, and Parent Retrieval 


  • Any Prohibited Device brought onto district grounds will be immediately confiscated by school administration or security personnel and released only to a parent or guardian. 


  • Student violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action in accordance with the district's Student Code of Conduct. 


Legal References: Connecticut General Statutes 


14-1 – Establishes the statutory definitions for bicycles, electric bicycles (Classes 1, 2, and 3), electric foot scooters, and motor-driven cycles. 


14-286 – Grants local authorities (including boards of education and municipalities) the right to prohibit or restrict e-bikes and scooters on sidewalks and property under their jurisdiction and prohibits motor-driven cycles on sidewalks.


Legal References: Connecticut General Statutes (continued) 


14-286b – Regulates riding behaviors, passengers, and requirements to keep hands on handlebars. 


14-286d – Mandates helmet use for riders under 16 operating traditional bicycles, non-motorized scooters, or skateboards. 


14-289k – Mandates protective headgear (helmets) for riders and passengers of electric bicycles in CT regardless of age. Restricts persons under 16 years of age from operating Class 3 e-bikes, and bars Class 3 e-bikes from multi-use trails/paths unless specifically allowed. 


10-220 – Establishes the broad statutory duty of local boards of education to maintain safe school facilities, care for school property, and preserve an orderly educational environment. 


10-221 – Empowers local boards to establish student conduct codes, safety rules, and administrative sanctions for violations on school grounds. 


53a-107 – Criminal Trespass in the First Degree & C.G.S. § 53a-108: Provides the legal basis for the policy's 24/7 non-school hours prohibition, allowing school officials to treat unauthorized motorized recreational riding after hours as unlawful trespassing. 


16 C.F.R. Part 1512 – Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission standards governing bicycle and e-bike manufacturing safety. 

UL 2272 & UL 2849 Electrical Standards: (Industry safety standards frequently referenced in administrative regulations) Governing electrical systems for personal e-mobility devices and lithium-ion battery fire safety/ thermal runaway mitigation. 


Policy adopted: October 6, 2026 Newtown Public Schools Newtown, CT


Series 5000 5140 Students 


ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS REGARDING RESTRICTION OF ELECTRIC PERSONAL MOBILITY DEVICES, RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT, AND SKATEBOARDS 


These administrative regulations outline implementation and enforcement protocols for Policy 5142.3. Building administrators and staff shall strictly enforce these procedures to maintain facility security and student safety. 


1. Communication and Policy Awareness 


At the beginning of each school year and as required thereafter, building administrators shall communicate this restriction clearly to students, parents, and staff through: 


  • Student handbooks and codes of conduct. 


  • Direct email and district notifications to parents/guardians detailing the prohibition and the rationale (pedestrian safety and lithium-ion fire hazards). 


  • Prominently displayed signage at all campus entry points, parking lots, and building entrances stating: 


"NOTICE: All E-Bikes, E-Scooters, Skateboards, Hoverboards, and Motorized Mobility Devices are Strictly Prohibited on School Grounds. Unauthorized devices will be confiscated." 


2. Enforcement and Campus Perimeter Protocols 


  • Perimeter Enforcement: School staff and campus security monitoring morning arrival and afternoon dismissal shall stop any student attempting to enter school grounds with a Prohibited Device. 


  • Intermmediate Turnaround or Confiscation: 
  • If identified prior to entering campus grounds, the student will be instructed that the device cannot be brought onto property. 
  • If the device is already on school property, it will be confiscated by staff and taken to the Main Office. 


3. Confiscation, Logging, and Retrieval Procedures 


When a Prohibited Device is brought onto district property, administrators shall carry out the following steps: 


1. School administrators or security staff shall take possession of the item and transfer it to a secure, locked storage location in the Main Office. 


2. The administrator or designee shall record the infraction in the school safety log, noting: o Student name and grade level. 

  • Date, time, and specific location on campus.


  • Device description, brand, color, and serial number (if applicable). 


  • Name of the staff member who confiscated the item.


3. Confiscation, Logging, and Retrieval Procedures (continued) 


3. Administration shall contact the student’s parent/guardian on the day of the infraction to inform them of the policy violation and the retrieval protocol. 


4. Mandatory Parent Retrieval: 


  • First Offense: The device is released only to a parent, guardian, or adult designee. The parent/guardian must sign an acknowledgment of the policy upon retrieval. Devices will not be handed back to students.


  • Subsequent Offenses: Repeated violations will require a mandatory parent-administrator conference and will result in formal disciplinary consequences and/or restorative practices under Board policy and the Student Code of Conduct (e.g., detention, loss of privileges, or suspension). 

4. Community Use and Police Coordination 


  • Non-School Hours Monitoring: School grounds are monitored during evening and weekend hours. 


  • Trespassing & Property Damage: Individuals using prohibited electric personal mobility devices as defined in policy 5142.3 on school property during or outside of school hours will be cited for trespassing. Any damage caused to district grounds (e.g., curb grinding, turf damage) will be referred immediately to local police. 


Regulation approved: October 6, 2026 Newtown Public Schools Newtown, CT