Grand Prairie, South Grand Prairie HS to require locking phone pouches for students

Banning cell phones in Texas schools?

Several school districts across Texas have experimented with banning cell phones in the classroom. Texas State Rep. Ellen Troxclair says it's an issue that the legislature should consider taking up.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Grand Prairie ISD has become the latest school district in North Texas to lock up students' cell phones during the day.

Students at Grand Prairie High School and South Grand Prairie High School will be required to place their cell phones in the locking Yondr pouch when they get to school.

Students will then place the locked up phone in a backpack for the school day.

On the way out of the building, students will be able to unlock the pouches and use their devices again.

Students who lose their pouches will be required to pay for a replacement. Any student who shows up to school without the pouch will have their phone collected and they can pick it up at the end of the day.

The process has been used at shows, concerts and even other school districts.

Richardson ISD experimented with the Yondr pouch program in the 2022-2023 school year and expanded it to more schools the following year.

Grand Prairie decided to take the extra step this school year after teachers overwhelmingly supported a crackdown on phone use.

A survey of GPISD staff members found 91% agreed with the statement "I have observed classroom management issues regarding cell phones in my classroom."

90 percent also believe a cell phone-free environment helps students be more engaged in the classroom.

Several North Texas school districts are altering their cell policies for the 2024-2025 school year, including Keller and Grapevine-Colleyville ISDs.