Upstate New York School One of First in Area to Ban Cell Phones

As Governor Kathy Hochul continues her statewide push to ban smartphones inside New York schools, a school district in the Capital Region has already implemented a plan to make its school a "phone-free" space.

Should All Schools Do This?

Eventually, they will. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced this week that she plans to introduce legislation that only allows students to carry phones without internet access. The bill would be taken up in New York's next legislative session, which begins in January.

“When it comes to smartphones and other internet enabled devices in schools, it's clear that the status quo just isn't working for our young people and educators,” Governor Hochul said. “I'm gaining valuable feedback from teachers and parents across the state to ensure we develop effective solutions that will deliver the best result for our kids.

Cambridge Central School will Be "Phone-Free"

One school in the Capital Region is ahead of the proposed legislation. Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, Cambridge Central School will be making its school a phone-free space "to improve teaching and learning," according to the school in Washington County's website.

Cambridge Elementary School students are prohibited from using personal electronic devices from arrival until the end of the regular school day. Such devices must be turned off and stored out of sight during this time.

Cambridge Jr./Sr. High School will use a program called Yondr, which, according to the school district, "has been implemented in over 2,000 schools across 16 countries to facilitate an engaged learning environment."

What's Yondr?

Yondr "utilizes a simple, secure pouch that stores a phone. Every student will secure their cell phone in a personally assigned pouch, and they won't be able to them until the end of the school day."

Students must bring their Yondr pouch to and from school daily and are always responsible for it. Students will be allowed to unlock their phones if they are leaving our school campus for any reason.

Yondr has extensively studied schools implementing their program and found a positive change in student engagement, behavior, and academic performance. According to a survey, 86% of students saw a positive impact on student safety and wellness.