Students in some Madera Unified School District will no longer be able to use their phones during class.
The district implemented a phone-free policy on Tuesday.
How it works: Students are required to place their phones inside Yondr pouches at the start of the school day.
- Phones will remain in the pouches until they can be accessed once school is over.
- Students are able to access their phones to contact their parents or guardians in case of an emergency.
State of play: The policy has been implemented for all middle schools in Madera Unified, as well as one alternative education school.
- The schools are Martin Luther King Middle School, Desmond Middle School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Madera Technical Exploration Center and Ripperdan Community Day School.
What we’re watching: The phone-free policy will take effect across the entire district in August.
Driving the news: Last year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Phone Free School Act into law.
- That law requires every school district to adopt a policy that limits or prohibits the use of smartphones by July 2026.
What they’re saying: “We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues – but we have the power to intervene,” said Newsom in a statement last year. “This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school.”
