A better way to manage phones in school
Distraction-free schools are possible with The Commons. Our app empowers school administrators to put their phone policy into action while helping students develop healthier tech habits. Backed by behavioral science, simple to implement, and proven to work.
Good digital habits for life
The Commons is a school-day screen management system for student devices that’s grounded in behavioral science. It helps schools set and maintain clear boundaries for where, when and how devices can be used, from limited, intentional usage to a fully phone-free day.
Designed for privacy
with no collecting or storing of personal data
Students keep their devices
but distractions are blocked during school
School leaders get visibility
into screen time and student compliance
Removing the burden on teachers
to help build good digital habits
Digital citizenship curriculum
teaches healthy, balanced device usage
Professional development
equips staff with new skills and insights
More affordable, more powerful, more effective
| Features |
|
No Policy or
|
Teacher Phone
|
Pouches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protects academic screen time |
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
| Aligns with state phone bans |
Yes
|
No
|
When no policy
|
Yes
|
| Student Autonomy |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
| Enforceability |
System-level enforcement
|
Varies by teacher
|
Risk & liability if devices are lost, stolen or damaged
|
Easily bypassed
|
| Protects Learning Time |
Minimal classroom impact
|
High daily disruption
|
5–20 mins lost per class collecting and distributing
|
Admin interruptions
|
| Behavior Change Support |
Curriculum + PD included
|
None
|
None
|
No education or PD
|
| Emergency Access |
Calls & texts work
|
Yes
|
Slower response
|
No access
|
| Staff Sustainability |
Real-time data supports staff
|
Inconsistent enforcement; contributes to teacher burnout
|
Burdens teachers
|
Labor-intensive
|
| Cost | Low Cost | Low Cost | Low Cost | High |
The screen battles stop here
School phone policies are changing rapidly. But as school leaders, you know these rules are exhausting to enforce. That’s why we created an app that supports responsible, policy-aligned phone use in school.
Our app gives students guided autonomy over their devices so they can build decision-making, accountability and discipline skills they’ll carry for life.
“Student phone use is a near constant distraction and contributes heavily to teacher stress and burnout. ”
Learning Hours Lost
Students lose an average of 270 learning hours each year from cell phone use.
Daily Usage
Teens spend about 1.5 hours of a 6.5-hour school day on their phones.
Students
25% of students log on for more than two hours per school day.
Adolescent Smartphone Use During School Hours, JAMA Pediatrics 2025
As Featured In...
-
What’s the Right Way to Limit Phones in School?
By Rick HessHow can schools best manage phones? There’s a lot to suggest that bans can help. But there are big questions about how these will fare over time and the best ways to cultivate good habits in students.
Read More -
Student Autonomy is the Missing Piece in the Phone Debate
By Jenny Grant Rankin, PhDAI, cell phones, the internet... Our world is changing more rapidly than ever before as new technology disrupts the ways we work and live.
Read More -
ED’s Shutdown Plan in Action
By Ben WallersteinInstead of collecting devices or locking them away, [The Commons is] tapping into students’ intrinsic motivation and social cues, to give them nudges toward healthy use
Read More -
Airplane mode solved a tech problem once. It can do it again in schools
By Steve JoelFresh polling from Morning Consult shows that nearly two-thirds of parents (63%) feel their child should be allowed to have their cell phone at school, but only one-third of parents feel their child should be allowed to have their cell phone in the classroom.
Read More
Don’t lock them down – lift them up
The Commons takes a balanced approach to digital focus. It’s "airplane mode" for school, delivering the same results as bans or lockboxes but without the practical headaches.
Distracting apps and sites are blocked during the day, but only on campus. Students stay in control of their phones, allowing them to practice decision-making, accountability and discipline – skills they’ll need for life.
It also gives administrators real-time visibility into compliance, so if a student disables the app, school leaders can check in and offer support.
– Psychology Today, 2025Rather than forcing behavior change through restrictions, schools can become the place where students learn how to manage their attention – not just follow rules. ”