Philadelphia schools use locked pouches to curb phone distractions
Philly schools lock phones to cut class distractions
Some Philadelphia schools are planning to use locked pouches or collection systems to keep students off their phones during class, reducing distractions.
PHILADELPHIA - As students prepare for a new school year, some Philadelphia schools are already rolling out strict policies that keep smartphones out of the classroom, even while state lawmakers debate a broader ban.
School leaders in Philadelphia say keeping kids off their phones during school hours has led to students being more engaged and classrooms having fewer distractions.
Philadelphia schools tackle phone use with new policies
What we know:
Some Philadelphia schools require students to lock their smartphones into pouches or hand them over to teachers before class.
At James Rhodes Elementary School in West Philadelphia, students get Yondr pouches for their phones, which are locked during the school day and opened as they leave school.
"You will actually see the children playing, you will see them coming together, making new friends they are sitting at different tables," said Megan Wapner, principal at Rhodes Elementary.
At West Philadelphia High School, students hand their phones to a teacher and get a card in exchange, with devices kept in clear boxes at the front of each classroom. Students are allowed to use phones between classes and at lunchtime, said Principal Marla Travis.
Teachers say the new norm begins as soon as students enter freshman orientation.
"When they come in for freshman orientation, they walk into classrooms. That’s the norm of expectations. And if we set that for day one, it continues through the whole academic year," said Eugene Lett Jr., ninth grade climate manager.
Teachers say these policies have helped limit classroom distractions. "They’re known to distract children everyone knows. I can’t compete with TikTok I can’t compete with Instagram Reels. I’m funny, but I’m not that funny," said Ian Nickischer, a teacher at Rhodes.
School climate managers say the pouches have helped reduce violence and prevented students from recording fights or teachers. "When I first came here we had a lot of issues with violence, people recording teachers, recording fights, and it was just dangerous," said Lamond Muhammad, climate manager at Rhodes.
In Philadelphia, schools set their own policies to ban phones during instructional time, and leaders say the efforts are working for both student behavior and focus. The approach can differ by school, but the message is the same—limiting phone access is a top priority during class.
Lawmakers in Harrisburg consider statewide smartphone ban
Both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature have passed bills that would require schools to ban cell phones throughout the school day, according to Gov. Josh Shapiro on X.
Lawmakers first began discussing a ban in 2025, citing concerns about student distraction and mental health. The proposed legislation includes exceptions for students with medical conditions or individualized education plans that require communication devices.
The plan is bipartisan, and Gov. Shapiro has voiced strong support, saying, "Protecting our kids' childhood is bipartisan - Democrats and Republicans agree on this. So let's get a bill to my desk and get this done."
Lawmakers say the next step is to introduce legislation requiring all schools to establish a policy banning phone use during the school day.
By the numbers:
Lawmakers in Pennsylvania and more than two dozen other states have pointed to mounting evidence that smartphone use takes a toll on students’ learning and mental health.
According to research cited by state lawmakers, the average age for a child in Pennsylvania to own a cell phone is 10.5, and one study found teens spent eight hours a day on their phones. School leaders and lawmakers stress that limiting screen time in schools gives students a better learning environment, and the issue has gained traction with parents and teachers alike.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear when the final bell-to-bell smartphone ban bill will be sent to Gov. Shapiro’s desk or how individual districts across Pennsylvania will be required to implement and enforce the ban.
The Source: Information from Gov. Josh Shapiro on X and previous FOX 29 reporting.