Hochul’s proposed NY school phone ban would require devices to be stored away until class dismissal

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed phone ban in New York schools would launch at the start of the next school year and require most devices be stored away until dismissal.

Hochul began Wednesday unveiling specifics of the ban that was part of her massive $252 billion budget proposal, saying it would require all public and charter schools to keep kids off any “internet-enabled devices” from “bell to bell.”

Under the plan, school districts have until August to come up with and present their individual policies and roll them out in the fall.

“We’re going to make sure there are no smart phones, no watches, no tablets, no beeps or dings in that sacred space between the bell in the morning and the bell in the afternoon,” Hochul said. “That’s how we start saving these kids.”

The ban would include tablets and smart watches although districts will decide if their policy includes keeping devices in locking pouches or even in students’ own lockers.

Hochul said schools would:

• Establish a written policy prohibiting students from using devices like phones on school grounds during the school day
• Provide a method for parents to contact their kids during the school day
• Establish on-site storage where students can keep their devices during the school day
• Publicly post their policy online
• Keep track of each instance where a student is disciplined for violating the policy and publish a report on the effectiveness of the ban each September starting in 2026.

The requirements include exceptions for students who need phones for medical needs like insulin monitoring, for translation services or other educational purposes as designated by a teacher. Students in special education programs can also be exempted.

If Hochul’s proposal is adopted, schools would have until Aug.1 to adopt their ban policies with the goal of having them in effect at the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

Hochul is also asking for $13.5 million in the state budget – approximately $10 per student – to help schools implement their policies by purchasing locking pouches or other storage.

“We don’t want there to be any reason any school cannot participate and we welcome New York City’s participation in this as well,” Hochul told reporters after Wednesday’s announcement.

The governor said schools would have to request a reimbursement from the state to access those funds. She also said it would not apply retroactively for schools that have already implemented bans.

There still remain several unanswered questions and gaps in the plan that will likely need to be ironed out should it receive approval from the state legislature.

Hochul’s proposal doesn’t have a clear enforcement mechanism, nor does it designate a specific state agency to oversee the implementation.

It’s also unclear if schools will be capped at the amount they can be reimbursed for implementing their bans.

Former City Schools Chancellor David Banks had to do a 180 after previously say that Big Apple schools would be implementing their own ban last year.

“We are looking forward to partnering with the governor in this work to protect our students’ mental health and keep our kids safe,” a spokesperson for Aviles-Ramos told The Post.