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New York's Bell-to-Bell School Phone Ban: What Districts Need to Know
Since September 2025, New York requires public schools to restrict student phones bell to bell, for the whole school day, from kindergarten to grade 12. The state budget included $13.5 million to help schools pay for phone storage.
New York's rule came through the state budget passed in May 2025. It requires distraction-free schools, which means students cannot use internet-enabled personal devices from the first bell to the last, including lunch and the time between classes. Districts had to adopt policies before the 2025-26 school year, including how phones are stored, how parents can reach students in an emergency, and exceptions for medical, disability or educational needs.
The state put $13.5 million toward storage, such as pouches and lockers. New York City, the largest district in the country, also set aside money for implementation. The governor's case rested on learning time, student mental health and the stream of fights and bullying that spread through phones, and the policy drew heavily on the bell-to-bell argument made popular by The Anxious Generation.
For a district, the choice of storage method decides how the rule feels on day one and how much it costs in year three. Collection means staff time every morning and liability for every device. Lockers need space and supervision. Lockable pouches keep the phone with the student, locked, so there is nothing to collect and nothing to lose, and the pouch does not block signal. Students tap it on a magnetic base to open it at dismissal.
We run phone-free events across New York City and keep warehouse stock in New Jersey, close to New York schools. Before The Internet sells lockable phone pouches to schools outright. You pay once, the pouches and unlocking bases belong to the school, and there is no subscription, lease or per-student annual licence. Send us your student numbers and any written quote you already have, and we will beat it.
Frequently asked questions
Are phones banned in New York schools?
Yes. Since the 2025-26 school year, New York requires bell-to-bell restrictions on students' internet-enabled devices in K-12 public schools, with exceptions for medical, disability and educational needs.
Did New York fund phone storage?
Yes. The 2025 state budget included $13.5 million to help schools buy storage such as lockable pouches and lockers.
Can a New York district buy phone pouches outright?
Yes. Before The Internet sells lockable phone pouches to schools for a one-time price, with no subscription, and will beat any written quote.
Related reading
School phone bans by US state · New Jersey's school phone ban · School phone pouch cost
Written by the team at Before The Internet, a Toronto-based phone-free company that rents lockable phone pouches for events across North America and sells them to schools and venues worldwide, shipping purchases to any country.
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