The Panel for Educational Policy passed on Wednesday evening a uniform, citywide policy that will apply to all public schools in the city ahead of the implementation this fall of a statewide school cell phone ban, Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos announced Wednesday.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the statewide legislation, which will mandate that all public schools in the state implement bell-to-bell cell phone bans starting this fall, in May, and required all schools to have policies prepared by Aug. 8. Though the statewide legislation will not enforce any specific implementation strategies, the new citywide policy will hold all schools in the five boroughs to the same standard.
The city’s new policy will ban personal smart phones, tablets, and smart watches in the classroom and will require devices to be turned off and stowed away throughout the day. Schools must provide at least one way for families to reach their children during the school day in case of an emergency, provide a “secure way” to store devices, and provide staff and families with annual information about school-specific policies.
“We know that excessive cell phone use is harmful to our children’s concentration and mental health, and, with this new policy, we will finally reduce distractions as we help our students reach their full potential,” Adams said in a Wednesday news release. “We are proud to have engaged in a thorough citywide process that balances the learning needs of our students with the safety concerns of our families.”
The city allocated $25 million for the new law’s implementation in its fiscal year 2026 adopted budget, which the mayor has dubbed the “Best Budget Ever.” The state has allocated $4.3 million to New York City for implementation.
“I am proud to be introducing a policy that takes input from unions and advocacy groups, families, community members, and our students into account,” Aviles-Ramos said in the news release. “This policy is designed to be responsive to the diverse needs of schools, individual students, and families, and I am grateful to all of our partners for their hard work in moving this policy forward.”
Hochul and Aviles-Ramos held a roundtable with students, administrators, and teachers earlier this month about the best ways to implement the new law in schools. Hochul has encouraged schools to involve their communities in policymaking.
The new legislation came after a state report, “More Learning, Less Scrolling: Creating Distraction-Free Schools,” which cited statistics from the Surgeon General regarding phone use among teenagers in the United States. According to the report, 95% of American teenagers have smartphones and receive, on average, 250 notifications a day. Heightened phone use, particularly at school, can damage attention span, information retention, and energy level.
The updated Chancellor’s Regulations include exceptions to the cell phone ban policy for public school students who require devices for medical purposes, have an exception in their Individual Education Program, are responsible for the care of a family member, or if a device is authorized for a specific educational purpose.
