Does New York have a phone-free school law?

Yes. New York enacted a statewide bell-to-bell phone ban via Education Law §2803, created through the FY 2026 budget bill (S3006-C, Part C) signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on May 9, 2025. It is in effect for the 2025–26 school year and is the largest statewide phone-free mandate in the country.

What does New York's bell-to-bell phone law cover?

The law prohibits unsanctioned use of internet-enabled devices on K-12 school grounds for the entire school day — including classroom time, lunch, study halls, and passing periods. Schools must develop their own plans for storing devices during the day, with flexibility for different building configurations and student populations.

How much funding does New York provide for compliance?

New York's FY 2026 budget includes $13.5 million in state funding to help schools purchase storage solutions. Districts can use the funding for pouches, lockers, classroom storage, or software-based enforcement.

When did New York's phone law take effect?

The law took effect for the 2025–26 school year. Districts were required to post their phone-free school policies online by August 1, 2025, and to provide parents a way to contact their children during the day if needed. Annual equity reporting on enforcement is required.

How do NYC schools implement the phone-free law at scale?

New York City's 1.1 million-student school system is the largest implementation challenge in the country. Most physical-storage approaches don't scale economically at that volume. Software-based enforcement like LockedIn deploys identically across every NYC school with no hardware logistics, and the compliance data flows automatically to district-level dashboards for the state's required annual reporting.

What exceptions does Education Law §2803 allow?

Exceptions include documented medical needs, IEP/504 accommodations, translation/ELL accommodations, emergency situations, and approved educational use. Schools must provide parents a way to contact their children during the day.

New York Phone-Free Schools (Education Law §2803): Administrator Guide (2026)

New York's FY 2026 budget enacted a bell-to-bell phone ban (Education Law §2803) with $13.5M for storage solutions, taking effect for the 2025–26 school year. The largest statewide mandate in the country. Here's what NY administrators need to know.