Gov. Hochul Garners Support For ‘Bell To Bell’ Phone Ban In Schools

Governor Kathy Hochul touts her “bell-to-bell” smartphone ban

Governor Kathy Hochul says she has the support of roughly 80,000 parents, students and educators who are endorsing her proposed “bell-to-bell” phone ban.

The measure is included in her state budget plan and is designed to reduce distractions in schools.

The Governor’s proposal includes:

• No unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds in K-12 schools for the entire school day, including classroom time and other settings like lunch and study hall periods.
• Allows 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.
• Proposes $13.5 million in funding to be made available for schools that need assistance in purchasing storage solutions to help them go distraction-free.
• Requires schools to give parents a way to contact their kids during the day if needed.
• Allows students to have simple cell phones 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.
• Provides sensible exemptions to restrictions, including for a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), for students who need an internet-enabled device to manage a medical condition, or for other academic purposes such as translation.
• Requires schools to track and report on the enforcement of the ban and any disparities in enforcement.

This new requirement would be in place starting in the 2025-26 academic year, and would apply to all schools in public school districts, as well as charter schools and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).

The Syracuse Post-Standard reports Senate Democrats responded to Hochul’s proposal in the senate’s one-house budget resolution. Lawmakers argued that school districts should be able to determine if phones will be allowed outside of the classroom. The resolution, released Tuesday, also prohibits schools from suspending students for using their phones.

Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said in a press conference that the senate has heard from superintendents who want more flexibility in the policy.

The assembly’s one-house budget resolution did not mention the cell phone ban.