Gov. Kathy Hochul Announces New Website for School Cell Phone Ban
The cell phone ban will go into effect this fall.
Psst… Check Out New Year, New Gear: Back-to-School Picks for all Ages
A New Era
New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul has revealed a new website to help families navigate the upcoming cell phone ban across all New York schools.
The website allows New Yorkers to search by district or school name among more than 1,050 public school districts, charter schools and BOCES that have already published their policy for the coming school year – representing around 96 percent of the approximately 1,090 total districts and schools covered by the statewide requirement.
“As we look ahead to the start of the school year, communication is key – and our new online resource is making it easier for parents and students to review their school’s plan,” said Governor Hochul. “Our kids succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling — and that’s why schools across New York will be ready to implement bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions this fall.”
On the new site, parents are able to search for their child’s school through school or district name, borough/county and are able to view the school’s specific policy. Each school has individual ways of storing cell phones.
“Academy of the City has chosen to adopt a stricter policy than what is required by law. In addition to prohibiting the use of internet-enabled devices during the School Day on School Grounds, students are also prohibited from using such devices during field trips and other off-site, school-sponsored events,” read one policy for Academy of the City Charter School.
“Student use of a personal internet-enabled device may be permitted during the school day only under the following conditions: If authorized by a teacher, building principal, or school administrator for a specific educational purpose, where necessary for the management of a student’s healthcare needs, In the event of an emergency, upon case-by-case determination by a school psychologist, school social worker, or school counselor, for a student caregiver who is responsible for the care of a family member, where required by law,” read another for a Nassau county school.
Improved Learning
It was announced earlier this year that the governor would implement a cell phone ban as part of an initiative to address mental health in teens and improve school learning.
The bill is research-backed and designed to stop distractions. Hochul’s research, “More Learning, Less Scrolling: Creating Distraction-Free Schools,” found that smartphones distract students and inhibit learning and creativity. It also found that schools can strengthen their distraction-free environment by connecting more students with in-person engagement like clubs, sports, arts, and other programming. It even received praise from New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos.
“As New York City Public Schools works to develop an updated cell phone policy for our schools, one thing has been clear: we must remain guided by the diverse needs and input of our school communities, union partners, elected officials, school staff, and most importantly, our students,” said Ramos of the policy. “Today’s roundtable gives us a chance to engage with these stakeholders in a public forum, hear their feedback, and discuss this policy as it’s developed. I am grateful to our participants for sharing their thoughts and to Mayor Eric Adams for making the investments necessary to lead our students into the future.”
While the cell phone policy applies to both charter and public schools across New York state, including Long Island, the list only includes charter schools across the five boroughs. The remaining districts and schools yet to finalize their policy are expected to in the coming days at upcoming school board meetings scheduled for August. The website will continue to be updated when any additional policies are published and submitted.
Psst… Check Out Free Backpacks and School Supplies for NYC Students in Every Borough
