Two Eastern Iowa Schools To Test Stricter Phone Policies For Kids

Even typing up this article about two pilot programs to cut down on cellphone distractions in two Iowa schools, I'm probably going to stop, open my phone, and scroll on social media for no reason but out of habit.

Wow, it's been 10 minutes and I'm only this far. I wish I was kidding. Seriously, phones are distracting and addicting. That's why the Davenport Community School District is implementing two different test policies at two schools to see which one makes sense for the district as a whole in the future.

For the 2024-2025 school, students and Central High School and Williams Junior High in Davenport will have stricter cellphone policies. Both policies are meant to do one thing and one thing only: cut down on cellphone distractions.

Central High School's Pilot Phone Policy

One of the test schools for the Davenport Community School District to cut down on cellphone distractions is Central High School. KWQC reports that their policy will be different than Williams'.

For the new school year, students at Central will be required to place their cell phones in a lock box that students can get at the end of each period. Students can use their phones at lunch and during passing periods, which in my opinion, is fair.

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Williams Junior High School's Pilot Phone Policy

It's hard to believe but middle schoolers also have smartphones and cell phones that severely distract them. I'm not saying it's because parents gave them iPads or tablets when they were 5, but I'm definitely implying it.

Students at Williams will have a different policy than the older kids at Central. Williams Intermediate will be making their school a phone-free space. They'll be doing so by using a program called Yondr.

Yondr has been implemented in over 2,000 schools across 16 countries and has seen a lot of success.

The press release says that after its annual survey of over 1,200 school partners, schools that use the Yondr Education Program saw an 84% change in student engagement, a 72% positive change in student behavior, and a 68% positive change in academic performance.