Governor Kay Ivey is praising Pike Road Junior High School for its proactive ‘pouch policy’ limiting students’ cell phone use during school hours. The school’s implementation of the restrictions, according to officials, is producing significant positive results both socially and academically for students.
Ivey believes that recently enacted legislation prohibiting Alabama public school students from using smartphones and other wireless devices will bring similar progress to schools across the state.
“The FOCUS Act will keep classrooms centered on learning, not distractions,” she said. ” At Pike Road Junior High, their no-phone policy has boosted student engagement and academic success. This approach works, and I’m proud Alabama is leading the way.
The FOCUS Act will keep classrooms centered on learning, not distractions.
At Pike Road Junior High, their no-phone policy has boosted student engagement and academic success. This approach works, and I’m proud Alabama is leading the way. #alpolitics
📰: @CapitolJournal pic.twitter.com/1YAVVH5qJS
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) June 23, 2025
“Smartphones have beneficial roles when used in proper settings. However, these often-disruptive devices have no place in our classrooms during the school day except for educational purposes or during an emergency. The FOCUS Act will enable students to ‘focus’ on learning while in school rather than on their phones.”
Pike Road Junior High Principal Christy Wright revealed the extent of the academic changes since the beginning of the school’s policy.
“The truth is this isn’t just about a law, it’s about what happens when students and teachers are given the space and focus to grow,” said Wright. “At the Pike Road Georgia Washington Campus, we implemented a no cell phone policy well before the bill was passed, and the results have been powerful.”
Wright noted a change in the school’s overall culture as well.
“We’ve seen more engagement, deeper connections, and a greater sense of community. But the impact hasn’t just been social, it’s also academic. I am incredibly proud to share that our eighth-grade learners recently took the PSAT 8/9, and the results came in just yesterday. Not only did our school reach our growth target of a 60-point increase, but we exceeded it with a 95-point gain. Even more impressively, our scores are 39 points above the national average. That is an extraordinary accomplishment.”
Austen Shipley is the News Director for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten
