Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos today highlighted plans for implementing smartphone restrictions across NYC Public Schools – the nation’s largest school system – when students return this fall. The Chancellor’s proposed regulations for NYC Public Schools will be voted on by the NYC Panel for Education Policy (PEP) on July 23.
The NYC Public Schools plan follows the State’s new Distraction-Free Schools law signed by Governor Hochul this year, which requires bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions in K-12 school districts statewide, starting this fall for the 2025-2026 school year. As part of that law, public school districts statewide must finalize and publish their distraction-free policy by August 1. In addition to NYC Public Schools, many other districts across the state have already developed or finalized their policy. The Governor also recently launched a website with a policy FAQ, toolkit and other key information about the State law as a resource for districts as they finalize their policy by the August 1 deadline.
“Our young people succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling – and that’s why New York will be ready to implement bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions on the first day of school,” Governor Hochul said. “I’m pleased that most school districts across the state have either already implemented or are finalizing their distraction-free policy – and my team continues to provide the resources and tools to ensure every district publishes their policy by the August 1 deadline.”…