Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced a proposal aimed at restricting smartphone use in New York’s public schools to “ensure distraction-free learning statewide,” according to a news release.
The plan would prohibit the use of smartphones and other internet-enabled devices during the entire school day, including in classrooms, lunch periods and study halls, the release said.
Schools would have the flexibility to create their own strategies for managing phone storage, with the state offering $13.5 million in funding for schools to purchase storage systems, like pouches or cubbies.
“We are well positioned in our district because our policy for cell phones has always been ‘Off and Away’ at both the High School and Middle School,” Matt Gaven, superintendent of the Rockville Centre school district, said in a statement to the Herald. “This has been a policy that fits the needs of our community, and we hope that the final proposal allows districts the latitude to engage parents and students in conversation to guide policy development rather than a one size fits all approach.”
Standing alongside educators, students, law enforcement officers and social justice advocates, the governor announced the initiative on Jan. 22. It comes after a yearlong statewide listening tour, on which parents, teachers and students shared with Hochul their growing concerns about smartphone distractions in schools.
“We know that our young people succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling,” the governor said in the release. “This proposal will ensure that our schools have the tools they need to create distraction-free spaces where students can focus on what matters most — their education.”
If the budget is approved, the initiative would take effect in the 2025-26 school year in all public school districts, charter schools and BOCES facilities. It includes provisions to ensure that parents have a way to contact their children during the day if needed, and also allows exceptions for students who require phones for medical reasons or as part of Individualized Education Programs.
“Keeping students engaged would be a lot easier,” Raphael Yeni, an elementary orchestra teacher in the Rockville Centre district, said. “I know there’s going to be a very weird transitional period and pushback, but I’m hoping that it will be for the better and implemented in a smooth manner.”
In addition to phones, Yeni added, smartwatches can also be a distraction among students. “I would say the smartwatches are more of the problem at the elementary level with certain students,” he said. “I’ve definitely had some instances where students were, even in a small lesson group, on their smartwatches.”
Hochul’s proposal builds on her focus last year on addressing the challenges of technology in young people’s lives, including the Safe for Kids Act, which restricts addictive social media feeds for minors, and the New York Child Data Protection Act, which limits the collection of minors’ personal data online.
Support for the proposal has been widespread, with organizations such as the New York State United Teachers and the New York State Parent-Teacher Association backing the initiative, according to the news release.
The $13.5 million allocated in the budget for storage devices would help schools that need support to implement the plan. Hochul also emphasized that the proposal aligns with her “commitment to protecting youth mental health.”
As part of her $1 billion investment in mental health, she has expanded access to mental health care in schools, with $20 million in start-up funding allocated for new school-based mental health clinics. Since February 2024, the state has funded 71 new satellite clinics, bringing the total number of facilities to over 1,100 statewide.
“At this time, we know that the Legislature still needs to weigh in on the Governor’s proposed ban on personal internet connected devices,” Gaven said in a statement. “We look forward to seeing more specifics for the Governor’s proposal and how the proposal ultimately impacts schools.”