BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Governor Kathy Hochul has revealed details of her plan to ban smartphones in New York schools as part of her FY 2026 Executive Budget Proposal.
The governor's office said this effort is part of Hochul's commitment to protecting youth mental health and promoting student success in the digital age.
Under Hochul's proposal, students in grades K-12 would be restricted from using smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds for the entire school day including classroom time, lunch and study hall periods.
The proposal would also allow schools to develop their own plans for storing smartphones during the day, proposes $13.5 million in funding for schools that need assistance purchasing storage solutions and would require schools to give parents a way to contact their kids during the day if needed. You can find the full details here.
According to the governor's office, students would still be allowed to have access to simple cell phones without internet capability and internet-enabled devices officially provided by their school for classroom instruction. There would also be several exemptions "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), or for other academic purposes, such as translation."
Some Buffalo parents are glad this proposal is happening, like the mother of a 9-year-old Nikki Ronan.
Parents who have been worried about this issue for a long time should feel a sense of relief that now their kids are going to have 8 to 9 hours free from those distractions.
Jessica Bauer Walker says this proposed ban may be overreaching.
I think taking them the whoel entire day is a bit much if students and parents have some concerns. The schools may have trouble enforcing that.
The proposal would be in place starting in the 2025-26 school year and would apply to all schools in public school districts, and charter schools and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).
Throughout 2024, Hochul held roundtable listening discussions across the state with students, parents and teachers regarding excessive smartphone use in schools. She has issued a report "“More Learning, Less Scrolling: Creating Distraction-Free Schools” which includes findings from the listening discussions, recommendations to help schools go distraction-free and an implementation guide. You can find the full report here.
“From parents and teachers, to social justice and law enforcement leaders, New Yorkers agree that our young people succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling. Using the insights from my statewide listening tour, this comprehensive proposal to restrict smartphone use in schools will ensure that New York’s statewide standard for distraction-free learning delivers the best results for our kids and educators.”
In December, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) urged the governor and state legislature to implement a state-wide ban on cell phones in schools.
NYSUT President Melinda Person released the following statement on Wednesday:
“Today marks a pivotal step in our push to create distraction-free learning environments, ensuring our schools are sanctuaries for learning, growth and genuine connection. This movement is growing larger and stronger every day, and has brought together parents, teachers, law enforcement, and local officials who all recognize the crucial importance of giving children a school day free from the pressures of social media and other distractions. I want to thank Gov. Hochul for keeping student mental health a top priority, and for her clear dedication to the success and well-being of the next generation.”
Superintendent of Niagara Falls Schools Mark Laurrie says this proposed ban could cause a few issues with his district.
Kids often need to contact their families for sibling care and coverage. We're going to have to express and detail a way that if that's to happen, students have access to the 180 phones in the high school they'll be able to do it by being respectful and asking permission.
Superintendent Brian Graham of Grand Island Central School District says this proposed law is an overreach by the Governor.
I think her ideas are well-intentioned. I think it just comes down to letting school districts have the local control necessary to implement, practices such as this, and then if that school district wants to tap into an $18,000 grant, from, you know, the state to help implement that, full mandate, maybe that's the best way to go.
