Phone and Device-Free Schools

Yes. Lawmakers and educational researchers cite extensive data showing that unrestricted phone use during school hours lowers academic performance and increases risks of anxiety, depression, and cyberbullying. Independent studies have shown that school phone bans can boost student test scores significantly, particularly for students who are already struggling.

Yes. "Bell-to-bell" means from the moment the first morning bell rings until the final dismissal bell of the academic day. This includes passing periods, recess, and lunch. Devices must remain turned off and securely stored during these times.

Elementary Schools: Classrooms will be equipped with secure mobile communication device lockboxes where student phones are safely stored upon entering class.

Middle and High Schools: Students will check out a secure Yondr mobile communication device pouch through library services. Students will lock their phone in their personal pouch at the start of the day and keep it in their physical possession.

Staff will open designated unlocking stations located in common areas (gyms, cafeterias, libraries, and main offices) prior to dismissal at the end of the academic day. Students can then tap their pouch against the unlocking mechanism to retrieve their phone.

Per Board policy, students must pick up their pouches during the designated distribution days in early August. If a student does not pick up their pouch in advance, their phone will be subject to confiscation upon entering campus.

Parents or guardians must complete the mandatory Data Confirmation within the Aeries Parent Portal before arriving at distribution events. Completing this in advance ensures an expedited pick-up process.

For standard parent-to-student communication or family emergencies, you can contact the main school office directly. School staff can quickly relay a message to your child or, if necessary, grant them temporary access to their device. Students can also request to use a classroom or office phone to contact a parent.

Central Unified considers situations of imminent danger to the school as emergencies. In a true emergency or perceived threat of danger, students will have access to their devices.

However, please note that law enforcement and safety teams advise that during a crisis, a student’s full attention must remain unhindered by digital distractions so they can follow safety directives from staff. The district will communicate official, real-time updates directly to families via ParentSquare. Please ensure your primary numbers are updated in Aeries.
 

Yes. Precautionary or routine safety measures (such as standard lockout or shelter-in-place drills) that do not present an imminent danger will be communicated transparently to families via ParentSquare. Phones will remain secured during routine drills.

No. The physical pouches are strictly limited to cell phones. However, other applicable mobile devices (smartwatches, tablets, smart glasses, etc.) must be completely turned off and put away out of sight in the student's backpack from the beginning to the end of the academic day.

Every high school student will receive a physical ID badge, which slides directly into a designated clear card holder on the outside of their cell phone pouch. Campus staff will scan this physical badge to verify off-campus lunch eligibility or access to school events without needing to unlock the phone.

Students will have access to Google Classroom chat features on their district-issued 1:1 laptops. Athletic programs and clubs will use these features to send up-to-date schedule changes or announcements directly to students.

Any student requiring special medical accommodations will be fully accommodated. Requests will be processed through the standard Student Success Team (SST) or 504 process. If a licensed physician determines that phone access is necessary for health and well-being, students will be permitted to use a phone appropriately or provided with specialized pouches.

Yes. Students receiving special education services may receive specific technology or specialized pouches to support their academic and support services as explicitly outlined in their Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Yes. Staff may temporarily grant access to mobile devices for explicitly planned instructional reasons, yearbook work, journalism, or approved student leadership/lunch activities. In these cases, specific lesson plan parameters and badges will be utilized to manage permissions.

Because middle and high school students check out the pouch through library services, the pouch remains in the student's physical possession all year long. Students are entirely responsible for the physical care and whereabouts of their assigned pouch, just like a textbook or district-issued laptop.

Central Unified utilizes a progressive discipline framework rooted in restorative justice and tiered interventions. Initial non-compliance will focus on staff-student discussions, parent conferences, and counseling referrals to address the root cause of the behavior. Continued or severe infractions will follow the site’s secondary progressive discipline flowchart, which can include restrictions from participating in extracurricular activities.