Cell phone ‘hotels’ set up in the Santa Barbara Unified School District

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Students with cell phones on campus in the Santa Barbara Unified School District are getting the rules on the first week of school.

Each student in each classroom will have to leave their phones in a special holder called the phone hotel.

They can not use the phone during the class period unless it is an approved emergency.

The plan has recently been praised by Governor Newsom.

At Santa Barbara High, the message about a no cell phone policy in classrooms has been shared with students and their parents.

Principal Fred Razo said, "letting them know about the telephone hotels and that we will be working together in collaboration to help their  students focus on their studies."

He says the response has been favorable.

Students are able to access their phones in an emergency.

Xavier Moreno is a senior who is adapting. "Honestly I am not a fan of it, I just love being on my phone so that's probably me."

The students have also been warned not to put an old broken phone in the holder and then keep their current phone as a way to get around the rule.

The school district says students who are not interrupted by their cell phones and who are focusing on their studies show higher academic scores across the board.