Gov. Hochul meets with area school leaders to discuss implementation of smartphone restrictions
Governor Kathy Hochul visited Spencerport on August 8 for a roundtable with Finger Lakes region school leaders, parents and students to highlight their plans for implementing bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions when school resumes this fall. The roundtable included representatives of Monroe-2 Orleans BOCES, Rochester City School District, Greece Central School District, Holley Central School District and Spencerport Central School District — all of whom have already finalized their distraction-free policy. The event is one of several roundtable roundtables being held by the Governor throughout the state before the start of school.
As of the meeting, nearly 950 public school districts, charter schools and BOCES across New York State had submitted their distraction-free policy to State education officials — representing 86 percent of the 1,098 total districts and schools covered by the requirement. Additional districts and schools are expected to finalize their policy in the coming days at upcoming school board meetings scheduled for August.
The Distraction-Free Schools law signed by Governor Hochul requires bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions in K-12 school districts statewide, starting this fall for the 2025-2026 school year. Her 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
Assemblymember Josh Jensen said, “It’s critically important we work to ensure New York’s education system continues to keep learning at the forefront. I was proud to work in a bipartisan fashion with the governor and my colleagues in the state legislature to make the distraction-free school measure a reality — empowering educators to focus on teaching and enabling students to build a strong educational foundation free from unnecessary distractions.”
Greece Central School District Superintendent Jeremy Smalline said, “The Greece Central School District has prohibited personal electronic devices in classrooms since 2022. Reducing distractions in the classroom has made our students more attentive, engaged, and connected. Staff, students, and families have embraced the policy, highlighting the positive results of thoughtful change. We’re encouraged to see Governor Hochul take distraction-free learning statewide as our experience proves this approach leads to better outcomes for our students.”
Holley Central School District Superintendent Karri Schiavone said, “We want to acknowledge the governor’s efforts and thank her for listening to how Holley will support students and families during implementation of this new policy. We are proud of the thoughtful and comprehensive plan we developed locally with extensive input from our community and staff members.”
Greece Central School District Teacher’s Association President and NYSUT Board of Directors Member Brian Ebertz said, “Creating distraction-free schools is essential not only for fostering a focused and successful learning environment, but also for safeguarding our students from the harmful effects of social media, cyberbullying, and other outside pressures. By reducing these distractions, we give our children the best chance to learn, grow, and thrive—academically, socially, and emotionally.”
Governor Hochul’s 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 Governor’s 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.
Governor Hochul pursued this initiative after engaging in a statewide listening tour with teachers, parents and students. See her report “More Learning, Less Scrolling: Creating Distraction-Free Schools” at https://tinyurl.com/4j3v5kjm.
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