The document goes on to say that the absence of cell phones during the day can reduce cyberbullying and the number of students who cut class by texting their friends to let them back into the building.
District spokesperson Marissa Orbanek declined to provide details about the contract, such as the number of pouches the district would get. She said schools will not be required to participate in the program if the contract is approved. If a school opts in, students with individualized education plans (IEPs) that allow for cell phone use would also be exempt.
The proposal immediately drew criticism from some teachers who objected to the $5 million price tag.
“I had really been hoping that with our new superintendent we would see less money spent on stuff and more money spent on people,” said Clarice Brazas, a teacher at Academy at Palumbo.
Brazas said she knows cell phones can cause problems in schools, but believes the money would be better spent on staff who can work with students to teach better self control.
What are Yondr pouches?
Yondr pouches have become common in recent years, not just in schools but at concerts, in museums, and even courthouses.
The San Francisco-based company began working with schools in 2014 and has worked with at least 900 schools since then, according to Yondr.
Students typically receive a pouch that they’re required to bring with them to school.
In the morning, each student places their phone in their pouch and pushes a button to lock it. They can then carry their phones without being able to use them. School staff unlock the pouches at the end of the day.
Some Philly schools already use Yondr pouches
Yondr pouches are already in use in the School District of Philadelphia.
Roughly 3,500 students use Yondr pouches, according to Assistant Superintendent Jonathan Brown, whose learning network covers a dozen high schools.
West Philadelphia High School started locking up students’ phones last year, joining Samuel S. Fels High School, which has been using Yondr pouches since before the pandemic. Both schools paid for the pouches with their discretionary funding.
At the two schools, Brown said, the pouches are about 90% effective. He said schools in his network that have tried to enforce no-cell phone policies without Yondr have had less success.
“They are still experiencing disruption with the presence of phones and they’re spending a great deal of energy to figure out how to get students to stop using them,” Brown said. “Short of securing them, we have not found strategies that are consistently successful.”
Another six schools in Brown’s network are trying the pouches for the first time this school year, including Dobbins Technical High School in Northeast Philly.