When it comes to cellphones, New York City public schools are on “silent” mode.

The new academic year marks the start of the statewide bell-to-bell ban on cellphones and any other internet-enabled electronic communication devices in schools or on school grounds. The ban, which will be in place for the entirety of the school day, includes phones, earbuds, smartwatches, laptops, tablets and portable entertainment systems, such as game consoles. See our FAQ to learn more »

The city’s Panel for Educational Policy adopted the chancellor’s regulations on the new state law in late July, and schools had a deadline of early August to submit their implementation plans after consulting with the school leadership team. The ban was in place on the first day of classes in all schools.

The UFT and its state affiliate, NYSUT, successfully lobbied state lawmakers for the bell-to-bell restriction and for the ban to be implemented in such a way that educators would not be responsible for collecting, returning, confiscating or holding student devices.

“As educators, we know the cellphone ban will help our students and change the culture in our schools,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said this summer. “The city Department of Education and principals now need to get the systems in place to make this happen.”

Prior to this school year, about half of the city’s 1,600 public schools already had a ban in place. According to a 2024 UFT survey, 70% of respondents in schools with such a ban supported a citywide ban.

The new citywide bell-to-bell ban means that students will not be able to use their electronic devices from the time they arrive at school to dismissal. Older students who have parental permission to leave school grounds for their lunch period may take their cellphone with them but must hand it back in when they return to school.

Each school must provide at least one option for storage, such as lockers or lockable pouches like Yondr makes. The collection process cannot take time away from instruction and will not be enforced by classroom teachers, in accordance with the chancellor’s regulations.

Schools must notify parents and guardians in writing of the new policy. Each school is required to provide at least one method — including a direct phone number — for parents to contact their children in the event of an emergency.

Students who need to leave before the end of the school day — for an approved early dismissal, internship or work assignment, or medical emergency — can pick up their devices before leaving.

The regulations include student-specific exemptions for a school-authorized purpose, including monitoring a student’s medical condition or using a device for translation and/or interpretation. Any exceptions require the principal’s approval plus any other relevant approvals, such as from a physician.

Students who violate the ban will be subject to progressive discipline. School administration would first hold a conference with the student, then reach out to the parent, and finally request removal of the student from the classroom. Repeat offenders would no longer be allowed to bring their phone for storage to school and could face more severe consequences, including suspension for insubordination.

If UFT members have any issues or concerns with the cellphone ban at their school, they should report them to their UFT chapter leader, who can contact the UFT district representative and the borough’s UFT safety liaison.

Schools do not have to draw on funds in their own budgets to implement the ban. The state has provided $4 million to New York City, and the city included $25 million in its budget. The funding is being allocated to schools on a per-student basis.

At a July 16 news conference at the Walton Educational Complex in the Bronx, Gov. Kathy Hochul, who championed the Distraction-Free Schools legislation, said she had heard from educators who had trouble making connections with students because they were competing with TikTok videos, texts and other distractions all day.

With the new law, the governor predicted, students will emerge more well-adjusted and focused, perform better academically and have more in-person friends.