Frequently Asked Questions
The Commons is a privacy-first platform that helps schools automatically reduce digital distractions during the school day.
Think of it as Airplane Mode for Schools.
Instead of taking phones away, schools choose whether to fully block phone functionality or allow important tools such as educational apps, communication, medical accommodations, and other approved resources.
The goal is simple: help students build healthier technology habits while supporting safer, more focused learning environments.
The Commons automatically activates when a student's device enters a designated school campus and deactivates when they leave or the school day ends.
Using a virtual school boundary, The Commons automatically limits distracting phone use based on your school's policy. Districts can choose to fully restrict phone functionality or allow approved access to educational apps, phone calls, text messages, camera access, medical accommodations, and other approved resources.
Students keep their phones throughout the day, but distracting apps and websites are automatically unavailable while School Mode is active. Teachers don't have to collect devices, unlock pouches, or manage daily phone logistics, allowing them to stay focused on teaching.
For more information about how The Commons aligns with your state's student cellphone requirements, visit our policy overview + guidance page.
Unlike pouches or lockboxes, The Commons™ doesn’t require device collection or teacher enforcement. Students keep their phones, but distractions are blocked automatically, allowing them to practice self-regulation and decision-making. It’s more sustainable to run, and gives administrators visibility into compliance.
Want a side-by-side comparison? Read our guide: The Commons vs. Phone Pouches.
Implementation is designed to be simple.
Our team provides onboarding support, staff training, communication templates, student launch materials, and implementation guidance throughout the rollout.
Once implemented, teachers continue teaching as they normally would. They are not responsible for collecting devices, unlocking pouches, or managing daily technology logistics.
School leaders also receive visibility into participation through an administrator dashboard that helps support consistent implementation across campus.
The Commons™ works in K-12 traditional public schools, public charter, and private schools of any size. We support schools from 200 students to 4,000. Because it doesn’t require hardware and minimal ongoing support, it scales easily from small campuses to large districts.
Schools can create exceptions for individual students based on medical needs, IEPs, 504 plans, accessibility accommodations, or other school-approved circumstances.
Districts maintain complete control over these exceptions while preserving consistent expectations for the broader student population.
This flexibility allows schools to meet student needs without creating additional daily work for teachers.
For how this aligns with your state's cellphone policy mandates, review our state-specific policy overview + guidance page.
We provide full onboarding, professional development for staff, and ongoing customer success support. Schools also receive communication templates and a digital citizenship curriculum to help integrate healthy device habits into daily life. Our team stays involved to ensure a smooth rollout and strong long-term results.
The Commons™ can reinforce a full bell-to-bell phone-free school or offer a balanced alternative. It ensures consistent enforcement without the burden of physical collection, while still giving students opportunities to build digital self-regulation skills. Schools choose the policy; The Commons™ helps make it work.
For how this aligns with your state's cellphone policy mandates review our state specific policy overview + guidance page.
The Commons™ is grounded in behavioral science and digital-wellness research showing that lasting behavior change comes from autonomy, not strict restriction. By removing addictive triggers while preserving student agency, the app supports healthier habits and more focused learning. It’s a modern approach to a modern challenge.
The Commons activates automatically when students arrive on campus and deactivates when they leave campus or the school day ends.
Schools create approved access settings that can allow educational and essential applications while limiting distracting content such as social media, gaming, and entertainment platforms.
Students keep their phones throughout the day, but their devices become distraction-free intentional learning tools. Check out our impact story and how The Commons works in this short video.
Each school can customize settings based on its policies and educational goals.
The Commons can either fully block phone functionality, or schools can choose to allow certain functionalities.
Commonly restricted categories include:
- Social media apps
- Gaming apps
- Entertainment platforms
- Streaming services
- Non-academic websites
This is up to the school! Schools can choose to block text or leave it.
If a school decides to keep texts functional, students will not be able to send videos, photos or airdrops.
Schools should still encourage families to avoid routine communication during instructional time, but emergency communication remains available.
Yes. Camera access is determined by each school's policy.
Schools can choose to allow or block camera access during the school day.
Yes, The Commons aligns with state student cellphone policies as an approved way to implement the policy and fully block phone access, aside from exceptions outlined in the state policy. The Commons also provides implementation support and digital citizenship tools to further align with state digital literacy mandates.
For a more in depth look on how we align to various state policies check out our policy hub: https://policyhub.the-commons.app/
If you don't see your state and want more information - let us know! support@the-commons.app
Yes. Browser access is fully configurable based on each school's policy.
Schools can choose to allow browser access while restricting distracting websites, or they can restrict browser access altogether. The Commons applies the same policy to supported browsers as it does to apps, helping prevent students from simply switching to a web browser to access blocked content.
Every school maintains full control over what students can access during the school day.
Schools receive notifications when required settings are removed or when a device is no longer participating.
Each school determines how it addresses non-compliance according to its student handbook and device policies.
The Commons does not replace the school’s policy; it is a tool to help support its implementation.