Bentonville West High School last school year hung pouches in classrooms where students stored their phones during class periods. Principal Dr. Jonathan Guthrie, left, said that compared to the previous year, there was a 57% decrease in verbal or physical aggression offenses and a 51% reduction in drug-related offenses. Eighty-six percent of teachers like English teacher Amy Groves, right, said they saw a positive effect in student engagement.
By Steve Brawner, © 2025 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.
Ninth graders walking into English teacher Amy Groves’ classroom at Bentonville West High School slip their cell phones into pouches hanging on the wall, where they remain throughout the 90-minute class period.
The school instituted the practice last year for a simple reason: Students weren’t paying enough attention in class.
The results? In a survey, 86% of teachers believed the practice had a positive effect on student engagement, while 77% believed it had a positive effect on classroom behavior and 75% said it increased classroom interaction and socialization. Compared to 2022-23, verbal or physical aggression offenses fell 57%. Personal electronic device offenses, where students were using a phone when not allowed, fell 94%. Drug-related offenses such as the use of THC vapes fell 51%. The principal, Dr. Jonathon Guthrie, suspects it became harder for students to plan meetups.
Groves said the practice has “improved my students’ focus immensely.”
“What that provides is the opportunity for students to actually talk to each other in person and listen to the teacher and look at the teacher when they’re talking,” she said. “I very rarely have any issues with them following the phone policy. And because they’re paying attention, their communicating is better, their grades are better, their understanding is better, so overall it has created a more peaceful environment for us here.”
What Bentonville started last year is now happening on a statewide level. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has created an $8 million pilot project where schools can apply for grants to pay for magnetically locked Yondr cell phone pouches and mental health services for students. According to the Department of Education, 112 districts planned to participate this year.