Restrictions on student-owned cellphones, smartwatches, tablets or any other devices connected to the internet on school grounds from the time the opening bell rings in the morning to when the bell ending the instructional day rings in all five Newark Central School District schools at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year are necessitating planning and policy development on several related issues.
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Right out of the gate at a 90-minute informational meeting June 12 in the Large Group Instruction Room at Newark High School Superintendent Susan Hasenauer made it crystal clear to students, parents, staff, administrators and district leaders this new statewide policy is not optional.
The so-called bell-to-bell, distraction-free schools’ restrictions were approved as part of the passage of the 2026 New York State budget. In the final budget deal, state officials set aside $13.5 million to help districts implement the ban.
Governor Kathy Hochul contends cellphones distract students, inhibit learning and student-owned smart device-free environments promote learning and good mental health among students and teachers.
The restrictions apply to all school districts, charter schools and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in New York State. They also establish restrictions and exceptions regarding the use of internet-enabled devices during the school day, sets requirements for local education agency (LEA) policies, and mandates annual reporting on enforcement.
Students will still be able to use internet-enabled devices provided by their school for classroom instruction, such as laptops or tablets.
The smartphone ban will also not apply to students who need their device to manage a medical condition, whose Individual Education Programs or IEPs mandate access to their device, who need it for academic or other“legitimate” purposes including “translation, family caregiving and emergencies.”
Hochul’s policy allows students access to cell phones without internet capability.
Hasenauer, like other Superintendents throughout the state, are tasked with developing plans, with input from students, parents and district staff, on such things as how best to store smartphones and related devices in their districts during the school day and how the law applies to students and staff.
She provided attendees with policies regarding these matters developed and provided by the ERIE 1 BOCES to look over, but stressed the NCSD will develop its own based on what it believes will work best in the district.
These policies:
•Must provide one or more methods for on-site storage where students may store their Internet-enabled devices during the school day, which may include student lockers.
•Must provide one or more methods for persons in parental relation to contact their student during the school day and written notification to guardians about these methods at the beginning of each school year and upon student enrollment.
The clock is ticking, and these policies must be developed by a LEA with input from stakeholders including bargaining unit representatives, parents and students by August 1st and posted on the school district’s website.
As part of the initial informational meeting, Hasenauer covered a lot of ground in a PowerPoint that addressed the policy issues that must be developed, answered some questions and received some suggestions.
“Suggestions are encouraged as all feedback will be taken into consideration,” she said. “If you wish to submit your input, please email Stacy Warren, by June 27th, at stacy.warren@newarkcsd.org “
More information on the LEA Policy Development will be forthcoming as soon as it is available.