At least two other schools in Iowa have recently decided to ban smartphones from high school classrooms. Casey Berlau, the superintendent of Carroll Community Schools, says cell phones were already banned in classrooms at the district’s elementary and middle schools, but the ban will now be extended to the high school. High school students will be allowed to store their cell phones, smartwatches and earbuds in their lockers.

Each class lasts 41 minutes, and Berlau says students are likely to be more engaged in class without the distraction of a cell phone.

Dallas Center-Grimes recently passed a policy banning cell phones in high school classrooms. In May, Des Moines Hoover High School administrators announced that students would not be allowed to use smartphones, AirPods or other personal electronic devices during the school day. High school students in Ottumwa are allowed to bring their phones to school, but must keep the devices in their lockers throughout the day.