NORTH TEXAS — Most of us can’t imagine going an entire day without a cell phone, but for thousands of students in North Texas, that will be the new norm. The I-Team surveyed 50 school districts and found that more and more students are joining the cell phone-free movement.
Grand Prairie ISD is one of the latest districts to purchase Yondr bags for students. Once the small bags are sealed, they can only be opened with special magnets provided by the company. According to Yondr, the bags, plus equipment, training and support, cost about $30 per student for the first year.
Larry Jones, principal of South Grand Prairie High School, says the data he has seen from other Yondr districts is encouraging.
“We believe it will enhance the social-emotional learning opportunities of our students,” he said. “It will allow them to communicate more with their friends and actually sit down and talk.”
Jones joined other principals, administrators and even a school commissioner in convincing the school board to approve Yondr in May. When asked, commissioner Bryan Williams told trustees he supported the move.
“Cell phones are probably our biggest problem when it comes to distractions in school. They are the number one cause of bullying, harassment and creating a negative atmosphere on campus,” he said. “And I firmly believe this can work. It will work.”
Dallas ISD, Princeton ISD and Terrell ISD also provide the bags at a limited number of locations. Pace High School in Duncanville ISD has been using the bags for four years.
Lake Highlands High School in Richardson ISD is starting its second year with Yondr bags. Principal Kerri Jones says the little bags have made a big difference.
“The classrooms are different because the teachers are teaching,” she told the I-Team. “The number of fights has gone down. The number of cyberbullying cases has gone down.” Jones said there was a lot of talking in the cafeteria now, and some students were even playing cards and dominoes.
According to the district, expulsions fell by 42% in the first year. The Yondr program has been expanded to eight Richardson ISD campuses.
Because of her success there, Keller ISD is considering using her there.
Dr. Tracey Johnston, the superintendent of Keller ISD, spoke about this at a recent school board meeting when discussing new restrictions. Starting this year, Keller students will no longer be allowed to carry cell phones in their pockets or on their person. Cell phones must be turned off and kept in a bag or backpack.
Johnston vowed to involve Yondr if students continued to violate the rules.
“If we don’t come together as a community, as parents and as educators and get this under control this year,” said Superintendent Dr. Tracey Johnston, “then the phones are going to be locked all day, every day.”
In Little Elm ISD, cell phones are only allowed in bags. Each teacher has a storage area with individual compartments for all students’ devices.
Almost all other districts we contacted have a “off-side and out of sight” rule, meaning students are not allowed to use them without a teacher’s permission.
Lancaster ISD takes a different approach.
“To say that our students don’t have or shouldn’t have access to them is, in my opinion, just not realistic,” said Kirsten Jett, principal of Lancaster High School.
Instead, she says, it’s about highlighting the positives of using phones and integrating them into the classroom. Students also use their devices as a floor map, and an app allows school administrators to track each student’s location in real time.
Lancaster ISD’s school administration also credits its digital citizenship course. Every middle and high school student is required to take this course in the first month of school. It explains topics such as cyberbullying and the consequences of sharing sensitive content.
Jett said cell phones were not a major disciplinary problem at her school, but in Richardson, Jones said eliminating them has brought so many benefits that she recommends it to any school struggling with the same problem.
“Take a risk, be brave and try something new,” Jones said. “Because it will be worth it, especially if what you are doing is not working. Try something new.”
According to Richardson ISD, the rewards don’t just benefit students: The bags have also helped increase teacher retention.
Of 50 school districts, only one – Highland Park ISD – refused to disclose its cell phone policies or answer questions about them.
Yondr gave the I-Team the following statement:
“When considering our offerings with school partners, it is important to note that Yondr offers schools a comprehensive program; we do not sell bags individually. Yondr’s phone-free program (the “Yondr Program”) includes all devices, training, ongoing support, and curricular resources needed to create and maintain a phone-free environment. During the first year of the Yondr Program, the cost to schools and districts averages about $30 per student, depending on the size of the school or district. After that, schools pay for replacement devices as needed. The Yondr Program continues to offer partnership services after implementation as long as the school continues to participate in the program.”
