New York Becomes Largest State to Ban Smartphones in Schools
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Courtesy Officer of Governor Kathy Hochul
By MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
New York will become the largest state in the nation to impose sweeping, bell-to-bell restrictions on smartphone use in K-12 schools under a new policy announced by Governor Kathy Hochul, marking a landmark move aimed at improving student mental health and reducing classroom distractions.
The statewide mandate, secured as part of the recently passed Fiscal Year 2026 state budget, requires all public, charter, and BOCES schools to restrict unsanctioned use of internet-enabled personal devices during the entire school day, including lunch and study hall periods. The policy goes into effect for the 2025-2026 academic year and is backed by a $13.5 million allocation to help schools implement storage solutions for student devices.
“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.” Governor 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.”
The policy mandates that parents still be provided with a way to contact their children during the school day, a move aimed at alleviating safety concerns. Schools will have the flexibility to determine how smartphones are stored, with local implementation plans required to be developed in consultation with teachers, parents, and students. The measure also prohibits policies that could lead to inequitable discipline outcomes.
“This isn’t about being anti-phone or anti-technology — it’s about being pro-childhood,” New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person said. “We’re giving students seven hours a day free from distractions so they can focus on learning, access their creativity, and make real human connections. Tackling social media and technology use as a public health issue will take continued partnership, education, and courage — and New York is ready to lead the way.”
This initiative aligns with the mission of Phone Free New York, a movement founded by Raj Goyle that advocates for protecting children from the harmful effects of smartphones and social media. Goyle emphasizes that while digital technology has transformed modern life, its unchecked use — especially among teens — has fueled a crisis in mental health, exacerbated by the pandemic. The evidence, he notes, increasingly supports that smartphones and social media are major contributors to declining youth well-being.
Courtesy Officer of Governor Kathy Hochul
New York now joins a growing list of at least nine other states that have implemented some form of school-based phone restrictions, signaling a bipartisan recognition of the issue. As Goyle highlights, this movement is not about rejecting technology outright but about ensuring that students have the freedom to learn, connect, and grow in healthier, more focused educational environments.
Hochul’s announcement follows a months-long statewide listening tour that brought together educators, students, parents, and public safety officials to assess the impact of smartphones in schools. The resulting report, More Learning, Less Scrolling: Creating Distraction-Free Schools, concluded that unrestricted access to personal devices hampers academic performance, impedes creativity, and contributes to rising mental health issues among youth.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, up to 95% of teens use social media, with more than a third reporting near-constant use. The report highlights a correlation between high social media usage and increased risks of anxiety, depression, poor sleep, and cyberbullying — concerns echoed by educators and mental health professionals across the state.
Nearly 75% of teachers surveyed in a 2023 Pew Research Center poll identified cell phone distractions as a major issue in their classrooms. Teachers and administrators who participated in the listening sessions cited increased student engagement and decreased behavioral incidents in schools that had already adopted phone-free policies.
“Smartphones are designed to be addictive in a way that makes it harder for kids to focus and learn,” Mothers Against Media Addiction Founder and Executive Director Julie Scelfo said. “As parents, we are grateful to Governor Hochul and the lawmakers who led this effort to support engaged, distraction-free learning in our schools, making New York a model for the rest of the nation. MAMA volunteers are energized by this victory — five states down, and only 45 more to go.”
In addition to the restrictions, students with documented needs — including medical conditions, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), or translation services — will be granted exceptions under the policy. Students will also continue to use school-issued devices such as laptops and tablets for educational purposes.
Courtesy Freepik
The new statewide standard builds on Hochul’s broader youth mental health agenda. In 2024, she signed the first-in-the-nation “Safe for Kids Act,” which requires parental consent for minors to access algorithm-driven social media feeds, and the New York Child Data Protection Act, prohibiting the sale of personal data from users under 18 without explicit permission.
The governor has also overseen a $1 billion statewide investment in mental health, including $20 million in startup grants for school-based mental health clinics. Since February 2024, 71 new clinic satellites have opened, with 40 located in high-needs districts, expanding the state’s network of over 1,100 school-based mental health sites.
