New York City Public Schools will begin to restrict smartphone usage for students in K-12 schools starting on Thursday, Sept. 4, or the first day of school.
As part of new state law, K-12 public schools, charter schools and BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services) will implement bell-to-bell restrictions on smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices.
Each school has their own policy, but some schools in Kings County have uploaded their distraction-free policy here. The new rules will be communicated to parents and students at the beginning of the school year or upon enrollment, according to NYC Public Schools.
“Our kids succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling — and that’s why New York schools are ready for bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions,” Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement on Tuesday. “I encourage parents to review the distraction-free policy for their child’s school district to help prepare for this important transition, which I know will deliver incredible results for students, teachers and families.”
The policy creates a statewide standard for distraction-free schools in New York including:
- Prohibiting unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds in K-12 schools for the entire school day (from “bell to bell”), including classroom time and other settings like lunch and study hall periods.
- Allowing schools to develop their own plans for storing smartphones during the day — giving administrators and teachers the flexibility to do what works best for their buildings and students.
- Securing $13.5 million in funding to be made available for schools that need assistance in purchasing storage solutions to help them go distraction-free.
- Requiring schools to give parents a way to contact their kids during the day when necessary.
- Requiring teachers, parents and students to be consulted in developing the local policy.
- Preventing inequitable discipline.
The policy allows authorized access to simple cellphones without internet capability, as well as internet-enabled devices officially provided by their school for classroom instruction, such as laptops or tablets used as part of lesson plans.
Additionally, the policy includes several exemptions to smartphone restrictions, including for students who require access to an internet-enabled device to manage a medical condition, where required by a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP), for academic purposes or for other legitimate purposes, such as translation, family caregiving and emergencies.
For more information from NYC Public Schools on the new cell phone policy, click here.
