In the February state legislative session, Arkansas lawmakers passed Act 122, banning the use of personal electronic devices in schools. According to a statement issued by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the legislation emerged to address the mental health crisis facing students. The law mandates students must lock up their phones and leave all other personal electronic devices off campus. 

Aug. 11, students in the Little Rock School District began adjusting to the new restrictions implemented by the “Bell to Bell, No Cell Act.” On the first day of school, every student in sixth through 12th grade received a magnetized pouch to put their phone in and carry with them throughout the day.

First block teachers are now responsible not only for attendance, but they also must ensure that students lock their phones inside the pouches. At the end of fourth block, each teacher uses Yondr brand magnets to unlock the pouches and return phone access to students.

Technology Director Bonita Rowe worked to organize the pouches.

“They get to keep it with them in our building. Therefore, they know where it is the whole time, and when it’s used correctly; it’s a very useful tool,” Rowe said. 

According to Stefanie Vestal, the Director of Strategy and External Affairs for the LRSD, the school district decided to use pouches because of a 2024 state grant. It provided funds for the new state requirement on the condition that schools use phone pouches. 

Of the pouch brands that were available, the school district chose to use the brand Yondr.

“Yonder is really the only one… countrywide that has had a lot of success with this model,” Vestal said. “They have the capability of producing the products on a larger scale, which, since we’re a larger school district, we needed that.” 

There are 13 secondary schools in the district using Yondr pouches, each given a limited number of magnets. Initially, the company only sent 22 magnets to campus. 

“When we saw that, we’re like, there’s just no way that we can get [students] through the exits and get [them] on the buses [on time],” Rowe said. 

Although it is not required for every teacher to have one, Principal Nancy Rousseau took the initiative to purchase more magnets to make the dismissal process more efficient. Rousseau worked with the district’s Yondr representative to negotiate a discounted price to get magnets for every teacher.

“It’s a law that we have no control over. It was put upon us,” Rousseau said. “I was wanting to make it as simple a process as possible at the end of the day, and that’s what we did.”