A new school year marks the beginning of a statewide ban on smartphones and certain electronics in K-12 schools, and the state has launched a site where you can check to see what your district's policies are.
More than one thousand school districts in New York state have updated policies around restrictions on the use of smartphones and internet-enabled devices during the school day. Hochul said 96% of districts have published their plans.
For those that haven’t, the online resource will be updated to reflect changes when any additional school policies are published and submitted, according to the governor’s office.
“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,” Governor Hochul said in a statement. “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.”
Districts had until the beginning of August to post their plans for keeping students detached from phones, smartwatches and the like.
That includes plans for how devices will be stored throughout the day so that no student can access them unsupervised and how exemptions to the rule will be addressed — including for students with specific needs related to healthcare, translation, and caregiving obligations, as well as emergency situations.
There is some variance in approaches from district to district.
Some, like Fairport Central School District, require that students keep personal devices in lockers and designated holders in classrooms.
Others, like the Rochester City School District, have different storage methods for elementary students compared to middle and high schoolers.
More information, including local school districts’ phone-free policies, is available at ny.gov/phonefree.
