Niagara Falls schools outline plan for smart-device ban, tests Yondr pouches for grades 7–12

The Niagara Falls City School District presented a draft smart-device policy June 23, saying a statutory ban on student use during school hours is not optional and outlining how the district would handle storage, emergency access and procurement.

District officials told the board they collected 918 survey responses — roughly a third each from students, staff and parents — and that responses were concentrated at the high school level. A majority of respondents were opposed or strongly opposed to allowing devices in class, while the remainder ranged from neutral to favorable. "The smart device ban is is not an option," the presenter said when introducing the policy and the survey results.

Officials emphasized two core policy questions: how devices will be stored during the school day, and how emergency access will be managed. For storage, the district is considering a two-tier approach: students in pre-K through sixth grade would keep devices in lockers or cubbies out of sight; students in grades seven through 12 would use a vendor-managed locking pouch system (Yondr) that…