Smartphones to be banned in schools from 'bell to bell' starting in September, Hochul says

ALBANY — Starting in September, students will be banned from using smartphones in school as part of the New York State budget, which includes $13.5 million for districts to implement the restrictions, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday.

The proposal, part of a "general agreement" on a $254 billion state budget announced by Hochul on April 28, bans the use of internet-enabled devices such as smartphones, smartwatches and tablets for the entire school day — described as bell-to-bell — including at lunch and during study halls.

It aims to decrease screen time and social media use for students to protect their mental health, while increasing opportunities for learning and socialization.

"I know our young people succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling," Hochul said in a news release Tuesday after touting in the Capital Region the inclusion of her proposal in the budget.

Bill language had yet to be released as of Tuesday afternoon, but the State Legislature is expected to start voting this week, leaders have said.

The proposal, agreed upon by the legislature, would allow schools to develop their own plans for storing the phones throughout the day, but they must include teachers, parents and students in creating the policy, according to the governor’s release. The funding is aimed at helping districts purchase storage methods, including but not limited to magnetic pouches.

Schools also must provide a way for parents or guardians to contact their students during the day, the release said.

And schools would not be allowed to suspend students for using smartphones or devices in violation of the adopted policy, Senate majority spokesman Michael Murphy told Newsday.

Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, of North Tonawanda, took issue with the language banning suspensions, saying it removes some of the teeth from the proposal. “Kids need accountability. They need to be taught to be accountable, that there are consequences if you break rules," he said. Ortt told reporters he's in favor of taking action on cellphones, but he supports it being done at the local level.

There would be some exceptions to the restrictions for medical reasons or where required by a student’s individual learning plan, for translation purposes, for family caregiving and emergencies, according to the release.

Students also would still be allowed to access cellphones without internet capability and internet-enabled devices that are part of classroom instruction such as laptops or tablets.

New York State United Teachers, the state’s largest teachers union representing nearly 700,000 members, applauded the proposal’s inclusion in the budget.

"This isn’t about being anti-phone or anti-technology — it’s about being pro-childhood. We’re giving students seven hours a day free from distractions so they can focus on learning, access their creativity, and make real human connections," union president Melinda Person said in a news release.

But education groups and some lawmakers are skeptical of a statewide, bell-to-bell mandate.

"Our concern is and has been that kind of one-size-fits-all blanket policy from the state top down will lead to as many challenges as it will offer benefits," Brian Fessler, chief advocacy officer for the New York State School Boards Association, told Newsday.

Fessler said his members of his group "strongly support and appreciate the governor’s focus," the conversations it’s sparked and the overall goal, but some districts that have already had meaningful discussions with their communities and put their own smartphone policies in place will now have to rework them. Some of those policies include allowing students to use their devices during noninstructional time as a way to help them learn and develop good habits surrounding cellphone and social media use, he said.

Assembly Education Committee Chairman Michael Benedetto (D-Bronx) said he hadn’t seen the bill language as of Tuesday afternoon, but he is "encouraged" by the flexibility added into the governor's original proposal. It "works better when it's controlled locally after proper consultation with all the people affected," he said.