New Jersey students are in the first school year under a state law that limits phone use during the school day. The measure covers kindergarten through 12th grade and applies to phones and other internet-connected devices.
Gov. Phil Murphy signed it on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at Ramsey High School in Bergen County. The state also set aside $3 million in grants to help districts go phone-free.
What the New Jersey law requires
The law, S-3695 and A-4882, also known as P.L.2025, c.195, directs every school district to adopt a policy restricting phone and other internet-enabled device use, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association. District policies must go into effect for the 2026-27 school year.
The prohibition targets non-academic use. WDHA reported that students are barred from using phones, tablets, smartwatches and other internet-connected devices for non-academic purposes during the school day. Academic use of a device in class is a different matter…