Back-to-school season has taken a new turn this year as schools across America are implementing programs to ban smartphones and other electronic devices. A 10-year-old company called Yondr is behind the creation of lockable pouches that allow students to store their phones securely during the school day. The Richardson Independent School District in Texas is one of the many districts embracing this new policy, with 12,000 middle and high school students currently using the pouches.
Yondr’s CEO, Graham Dugoni, started the company in 2014 with a mission to create phone-free spaces in schools and other public areas. The rise of social media and its potential harms to children’s mental health have sparked a national conversation around the issue of smartphone use in schools. Statewide laws have been passed in states like Florida, Louisiana, and Indiana to restrict or ban smartphones in educational settings, with the goal of promoting better learning environments for students.
Yondr has secured lucrative contracts with school districts across the country, including DeKalb County School District in Georgia, Fort Wayne Community School District in Indiana, and Peoria Public Schools District in Illinois, among others. The company’s pouches have proven to be effective in reducing distractions in classrooms and improving student engagement. Yondr now focuses primarily on the education sector, with plans to expand into other industries like courtrooms and daycare facilities.
The shift towards phone-free schools has been met with some challenges, including resistance from students, parents, and educators. However, Yondr’s comprehensive approach, which includes providing training and support to schools, has helped them overcome these obstacles. The company collects data from schools to measure the impact of its pouches on student behavior, attendance, and academic performance, showing positive results in disciplinary issues and test scores.
Educational efforts from organizations like the Phone-Free Schools Movement and Fairplay are also working to promote phone-free environments in schools. Safety concerns from parents about not being able to reach their children in emergencies have been addressed by safety experts, who argue that phones can actually disrupt safety protocols during crisis situations. The goal is to create a focused and secure learning environment for students, free from distractions and interruptions.
As more schools adopt Yondr pouches and other phone-free policies, students are adjusting to the new rules and finding that they can still connect with their peers without the constant presence of smartphones. The success of the pilot programs in schools like Richardson High is paving the way for a new era of education, where technology is used purposefully and intentionally to enhance learning outcomes for students.
