NEW YORK (WBNG) — Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York is becoming the largest state in the nation to require statewide, bell-to-bell restrictions on smartphones in K-12 schools.
Hochul secured this landmark victory as part of the agreement on the FY 2026 State Budget, which will take effect this fall for the 2025-2026 school year.
“New York was the first state to target addictive social media feeds — and now we’re the largest state to restrict smartphones in schools throughout the entire school day,” Hochul said. “I know our young people succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling — and that’s why New York continues to lead the nation on protecting our kids in the digital age.”
This new requirement will take place in the 2025-26 School Year and applies to all schools in public school districts, as well as charter schools and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, or BOCES.
Hochul’s cellphone policy creates a statewide standard in New York, including:
- No unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds in K-12 schools for the entire school day, including classroom time and other settings like lunch and study hall periods.
- Schools can develop their plans for storing smartphones during the day, allowing administrators and teachers to do what works best for their buildings and students.
- Secures $13.5 million in funding to be made available for schools that need assistance in purchasing storage solutions to help them go distraction-free.
- Requires schools to allow parents to contact their kids during the day when necessary.
- Requires teachers, parents and students to be consulted in developing the local policy.
Hochul’s policy clarifies that students can still use simple cellphones without internet access and devices officially provided by their school for classroom instruction, such as laptops or tablets used in lesson plans.
This policy includes several exemptions, including for students who require access to an internet-enabled device to manage a medical condition and other legitimate purposes, such as translation, family caregiving and emergencies.
Copyright 2025 WBNG. All rights reserved.
