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 uses magnets stationed at strategic locations to lock and unlock pouches.

The district said Yondr will perform walk-throughs of the district's three schools — Gaskill, LaSalle and Niagara Falls High School — to recommend magnet locations and to demonstrate handheld unlocking devices for staff or safety officers. Officials noted the pouch system would prevent students from unlocking devices during the day by removing the magnet from a fixed location once classes begin. The presenter said accommodations would be made for documented medical needs; those students could carry specially identified pouches that allow access for medical devices or alerts.

Board and staff discussion raised logistical questions the district plans to address before a final vote: how to index or barcode pouches to prevent swapping, how to handle students who forget or lose pouches, whether external magnets should be available so people can unlock pouches without re-entering a building, and whether the pouches deactivate or merely place a device in a low-power/hibernation state. A district staff member who has prior experience with the product recommended an exterior magnet to let people unlock pouches without returning to the building, and said lost-pouch replacement policies and potential charges for missing pouches should be clarified.

Officials also raised concerns about emergency communications. The district plans to spell out procedures for parents to contact students (for example, calling the school office) and for students to request nurse or staff assistance during medical events. The district said it would consult with first responders to ensure phones are not an active safety hazard during drills or emergencies while also preserving a path for legitimate emergency contact.

Funding and timeline: the presenter said the governor's education department has a competitive fund (about $13,500,000 statewide) that districts can apply to for devices and related costs; the district noted the funding is limited and must be shared among roughly 635 districts. The board was told the final smart-device policy must be submitted for board approval by Aug. 1, and the district scheduled a virtual town hall on the Yondr system and the draft policy for 6:30 p.m. the following evening to collect more public questions. The board also discussed a special July meeting (July 31) to consider the final policy and other personnel items.

Why it matters: the proposed policy affects all students and staff, raises questions about equity, medical accommodations and district liability, and ties into state funding constraints. The district plans follow-up surveys at 10, 20 and 30 weeks into the school year to track changes in attitudes and implementation outcomes.

The board did not vote on a final policy June 23; officials said more information would be provided after the district's meeting with the Yondr company and the scheduled public forum.

Ending: The district will post the town-hall recording on its website and promised an update at the next regular meeting. Officials said implementation details — replacement cost for lost pouches, barcode/indexing processes, and formal emergency procedures — remain to be finalized prior to the board vote in July or August.