PCSSD board approves grant‑funded phone‑free pouches; policy to follow

The Pulaski County Special School District board voted Feb. 11 to accept state grant funding and purchase magnetic phone pouches for secondary students, a step district officials said will support a phone‑free learning environment.

District staff presented a grant‑funded purchase of about 6,500 pouches — sufficient for grades 6–12 — after soliciting three vendor quotes and identifying Yonder as the recommended vendor. The presenter said the state funded the purchase through a $223,000 grant that would cover the full cost. The board voted to approve the purchase.

Administrators said the district would pilot the system in one or a small number of schools this school year and pursue full rollout at the secondary level for 2025–26. The district also intends to present a draft cell‑phone policy to the board in March, after which the policy would guide implementation details such as allowed access times, staff procedures for pouch storage and procedures for devices such as smartwatches and personal tablets.

Presenters described the pouches as magnetically locking sleeves that render phones inoperable for notifications and calls while inside the pouch; they said the pouches can be released quickly at dismissal and are used in some other districts and event venues. Officials said the district declined a storage locker option because centralized phone‑holding would create greater logistical and liability concerns.

Board members asked about pilot timing, teacher and parent input, and how the pouches handle devices other than phones (staff said pouches have multiple pockets and districts sometimes place watches and tablets inside them). Administrators said the grant was available for the current fiscal year and that buying now preserves that funding; they emphasized that the board would approve policy language before full implementation.

The board approved the purchase by motion; the motion was seconded and passed without recorded opposition.