DAVENPORT, Iowa — Imagine teaching a class, and every time you turn around, you see a student on their phone. That's the battle that some teachers say they face on a daily basis, but two schools in Davenport are making an exception.
Davenport Central High School and Williams Intermediate School have become no phone zones this past month thanks to their new device policy. The two are involved in a Davenport Community School District pilot program, designed to curb distractions inside the classroom and promote a better learning environment.
Davenport Central's Principal, Brian Ehlinger, expected massive pushback from his teenagers after he announced students' devices would be locked away during class. He said that hasn't been the case.
"Overall, when we talk to students in the hallways, they're saying they appreciate us managing the cellphone deal," Ehlinger said.
Williams Intermediate School plays a critical role in this pilot program, looking to nip cellphone usage in the bud for students between sixth and eighth grade. Instead of giving students their phones during breaks, the children keep their devices in Yondr bags for the entire school day.
The Williams Intermediate staff did a walkthrough last school year, measuring students engagement in class. At the end of previous academic year, they found 72% of the students were focused on the lesson. Williams Intermediate's results are similar to Davenport Central's, and school officials said they're already seeing an 11% increase in engagement this month.
Principal Eric Johnson runs the middle school, and has been more than happy with the outcome so far. He believes the pilot program could reshape classrooms throughout Davenport.
"If it takes off and we continue with this route, I see kids just becoming more used to [cellphones being something] that they have access to sometimes but not the lifeline that it was before," Johnson said.