Chicago – January 22, 2025
New York could become the latest state to bar students from using cell phones during school under a new mandate Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed on Tuesday as part of her budget plan.
Hochul’s rule would require school districts to set policies to ban student smartphone use on school grounds during the school day to “ensure a distraction-free learning environment,” according to her budget briefing.
The proposal carves out exceptions that include letting students use their phones for specific educational purposes, medical reasons, translations and emergencies.
Hochul, during her budget presentation in Albany, pitched the rules as a crackdown on learning distractions and bullying, developed after a series of discussions she led around the state on how cell phones were affecting student learning and interaction.
