SOUTH BEND, Indiana (WJW) – The South Bend Community School Corporation in northern Indiana has announced that it will distribute and require clear backpacks for all students.

The new policy will apply to all grade levels for the upcoming school year, starting in 2023-24, according to FOX News.

The decision aims to enhance security and safety for all students, the district says.

The district’s security and emergency preparedness director, Eric Crittendon, said that transparent bags will not solve every school’s safety issues, but it certainly serves as a deterrent for harmful and prohibited items.

The school district will provide one clear backpack free of charge for each student, and students will be allowed to carry a non-clear pouch no larger than 5.5 by 8.5 inches to hold personal items.

This move follows similar action taken by other school districts across the country. In neighboring Michigan, the Grand Rapids Public Schools announced that it would become the second Michigan school district to ban backpacks on school premises after a third-grade student was found with a loaded gun.