Gov. Kathy Hochul Announces New School Smartphone Policy Website
On Thursday, Aug. 14, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a new state website, ny.gov/phonefree, that allows parents and students to look up their school’s bell-to-bell smartphone plan for the upcoming fall.
Features of the Online Tool
The online platform enables searches by district or individual school. It already includes policies from over 1,050 public school districts, charter schools, and BOCES — approximately 96% of the about 1,090 districts and schools subject to the statewide requirement.
State officials mentioned that the remaining districts and schools are expected to finalize their plans during school board meetings scheduled in August. The website will be updated as additional policies are published and submitted.
Background and Law Details
The law, passed earlier this year, requires bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions in K–12 schools statewide starting with the 2025–26 school year.
Key Elements of the State Standard
- Banning unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school p...