New York Governor Proposes School Cellphone Ban

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks during a press conference in New York City, on Nov. 14, 2024. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed legislation on Tuesday to ban students from using cellphones in schools to minimize distractions during school hours.

In her budget address, Hochul said that teachers face challenges in competing for students’ attention due to phone distractions. To address this issue, the governor aims to implement a statewide cellphone ban in schools starting next academic year.

Hochul said a poll showed 95 percent of students in the United States have access to mobile devices and receive an average of 250 notifications per day.

“As a mom, these aren’t just statistics to me. I know how hard it is to get your kids’ attention,” she said. “We’re not developing the skills we need because kids are distracted with the cellphones.”

The proposed law is a result of roundtables the governor convened last year with parents, students, educators, school administrators, advocates, and local leaders to discuss the impact of smartphones on students’ ability to learn, communication, and mental health.

“As a result of these conversations, I am announcing today a proposal that will transform our classrooms,” Hochul said. “Return them to a place of learning and that is a new statewide policy to make classrooms in the state of New York distraction free.”

The governor said the proposed legislation would require all students to disconnect from their mobile devices during school hours, including classes, lunch periods, and time spent in hallways.

School districts will have the flexibility to determine how to implement the rules, such as how to store the students’ devices, while ensuring compliance with the proposed law, she stated.

Hochul said the law will include exceptions for students who need access to devices for medical reasons, non-English speakers, and students with learning disabilities.

The law still requires approval from state legislators. Blake Washington, the state budget director, said the state will allocate about $13.5 million to help school districts defray the costs of implementing the phone ban.

A 2023 study by the nonprofit Common Sense Media found that 97 percent of students between the ages of 11 and 17 used their phones during school hours, with half of the survey participants receiving an average of 237 notifications or more per day.

Other states have adopted policies to regulate students’ use of phones in schools. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill last year requiring school districts, charter schools, and county office of education to adopt a policy prohibiting or limiting the use of smartphones by July 2026.

“We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues – but we have the power to intervene,” Newsom said in a Sept. 23 statement last year.

Virginia’s Department of Education issued final guidelines last year for K-12 public schools to implement a “bell-to-bell” policy, in which students must have their cellphones turned off and stored away from the first bell at the start of the school day until the dismissal bell.

A 2024 survey published by the Pew Research Center showed that 68 percent of American adults support banning cellphone use during middle and high school classes, while 24 percent voted against such restrictions. The survey was conducted between Sept. 30, 2024, and Oct. 6, 2024, involving 5,110 American adults.