Las Vegas schools will require students to store phones in signal-blocking pouches

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, students in Las Vegas' Clark County School District will require all students in grades 6 to 12 to carry their cell phones in non-locking, signal-blocking pouches.

The Clark County School District, which serves 300,000 students, said the policy is meant to "reduce distractions and improve student learning and achievement," according to a news release. It applies to all electronic devices.

See the entire email sent to parents here .

The pouches will be placed in a location that will "be available" to students in case of an emergency, the district said.

“Every minute of instruction is important for student learning, and studies clearly show that cell phones distract students,” CCSD interim superintendent Dr. Brenda Larsen-Mitchell said. “Ten schools piloted the cell phone pouches last year with success leading us to expand the program to all our secondary schools.”

The pouches will be optional for grades below six.

CCSD says more campus-related information will soon be sent to parents.

Generally, students will place their cell phones in the signal-blocking pouch. Students must place their phones on silent mode with airplane mode recommended.

The new rule falls under CCSD's personal technology and communication devices policy .

The use of electronic devices is allowed during certain periods at school:

• Scheduled nutrition or lunch periods
• School-sponsored activities at all district campuses
• Classroom periods with the approval of the classroom teacher
• School bus transportation

Another new rule for the upcoming school year is that students must wear an identification badge while on a secondary CCSD school campus.
This story was originally published by Adam Forgie at Scripps News Las Vegas .