Rye area public schools will be forced to implement full bell-to-bell cell phone bans in the fall, after New York lawmakers passed the statewide restriction into law earlier this month.
The ban, included in the state budget, prohibits students in K-12 public and charter schools from using their smartphones during the entirety of the school day – a restriction known as a “bell-to-bell” ban.
The state Legislature passed the 2026 fiscal year budget on May 9, more than a month after its April 1 deadline.
Sarah Derman, a spokesperson for the Rye City School District, told The Record the district is waiting for guidance from the state Education Department about the best ways to implement and enforce the new cell phone ban.
The ban — some of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s top priorities this legislative session — allows school districts to develop their own enforcement plans with advice from teachers, parents, and students. It also requires schools to give guardians a way to contact their kids when necessary, and budgets $13.5 million for schools that need assistance in buying cell phone storage solutions.
Students will still be able to use laptops and tablets during the school day, when permitted for instructional purposes, under the law. There are also smartphone exceptions for students who need them to manage a medical condition, students who require them for an individualized education program, or “for other legitimate purposes,” according to Hohul’s office.
The policy will take effect at the onset of the 2025-26 school year.
“New York was the first state to target addictive social media feeds, and now we’re the largest state to restrict smartphones in schools throughout the entire school day,” Hochul said. “I know our young people succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling — and that’s why New York continues to lead the nation on protecting our kids in the digital age.”
In 2024, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms due to their effects on kids. He also said schools need to provide periods of time where students are phone-free.
The Empire State follows 15 others across the U.S. that have banned the use of cellphones at K-12 public schools, according to a Ballotpedia report. Florida was the first state to implement a ban in May 2023.
Some area school districts, like Rye City, had already started examining their cell phone policies before the state took matters into its own hands.
Additionally, Rye Country Day School and Sacred Heart in Greenwich – both private schools not subjected to the statewide restrictions – previously imposed stricter cell phone restrictions during the school day.
Democratic state Sen. Shelley Mayer, whose legislative district includes Rye, told The Record she’s pleased with the new cell phone ban passed at the state level.
“There is a clear connection between cell phone use and a decline in students’ mental health and academic performance – as it leads to decreased focus, reduced social interaction, and increased emotional stress,” Mayer, who also chairs the Senate Education Committee, said.
While she noted she’s confident the new legislation will benefit students and school districts, she also said she wanted more flexible options.
“I did favor giving districts greater flexibility,” Mayer added. “(However) I am optimistic that under the guidelines outlined in the budget, school districts can develop plans that best meet the needs of their students and schools.”
