New York Gov. Kathy Hochul launched a website on July 2 that provides resources for school districts across the state as they prepare to implement “bell-to-bell” restrictions on student use of smartphones for the coming school year.
Gov. Hochul announced the phone ban – which is authorized by the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget – on May 6. The new rules apply to all public school districts, charter schools, and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in the state.
The newly launched website includes a policy FAQ, toolkit, and examples that school districts can use to design their distraction-free policy. Under state law, each school district must publish its policy by Aug. 1, 2025.
“School districts across New York are already showing us that bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions help deliver the best possible learning environments for our kids,” Gov. Hochul said in a July 2 press release.
“As we prepare for the coming school year, my team is continuing to provide the necessary resources and tools to ensure school districts finalize and publish their distraction-free policy by the August 1 deadline,” she added.
Under the new restrictions, students will no longer be allowed to use smartphones or other personal internet-connected devices during class time, lunch, or study hall, unless specifically authorized. Schools can decide how phones are stored during the day – whether in lockers, sealed pouches, or other systems.
However, the policy includes several exemptions. Students may use internet-enabled devices for medical needs, accommodations related to individualized education programs, academic purposes, emergencies, or other legitimate needs such as language translation or family caregiving.
The new rules will allow students to carry basic cellphones without internet access and to use school-issued devices for lessons.
State officials say the new device restrictions are intended to help students stay focused in class, curb cyberbullying, and safeguard mental health by limiting access to addictive social media and other digital distractions during school hours.
“I applaud Governor Hochul for providing financial and implementation resources to school districts as they draft their individual cellphone policies. We know how detrimental cellphone use is to students’ mental health, academic success, social interaction, and emotional stress,” said State Senator Shelley B. Mayer. “I am confident these changes will make a meaningful change in the lives of our students, school staff, and our communities.”
