District Cell Phone Policy

South Jefferson Distraction-Free Schools Report

NYS Phone-Free Schools Law

Recognizing the necessity of ensuring safe and productive learning environments for students and educators, Governor Hochul advanced legislation to create a statewide standard for distraction-free school environments and secured its passage in the FY2026 budget. New York is now the most populous state in the U.S. with a statewide, bell-to-bell restriction.

• Governor Hochul’s cellphone policy creates a model standard including:
  • No unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds in K-12 schools for the entire school day (from “bell to bell”), including classroom time and other settings like lunch and study hall periods.
  • Allowing schools to develop their own plans for storing internet-enabled devices during the day — giving administrators and teachers the flexibility to do what works best for their buildings and students.
  • Securing $13.5 million in funding to be made available for schools to aid in purchasing storage solutions to help them go distraction-free.
  • Requiring schools to give parents a way to contact their children during the day when necessary.
  • Requiring teachers, parents and students to be consulted in developing the local policy.
  • Requiring schools to annually publish a report detailing the enforcement of the policy they adopted, helping to prevent inequitable discipline.
• This legislation applies to school districts, charter schools, and boards of cooperative services (BOCES). Each educational organization should review existing policies and/or work to update their policies in accordance with the minimum standards established by law by August 1st, 2025.

In SJCSD’s Policy 7317: Use of Internet-Enabled Devices During the School Day reflects the intentions of the law. South Jefferson Students must store their Internet-enabled devices in designated on-site storage areas during the school day. All students in Grades 6-12 will be assigned a school locker. Students are expected to place their internet-enabled devices in their lockers before the start of the first period bell. They are to remain in their locker in an off or airplane mode position until after the final bell of the instructional day. Students are expected not to access these devices at any time during the day without permission. If a student has a medical or emergency need to access, they shall secure permission from an administrator. 

Methods for Parents to Contact Students During the School Day

To accommodate necessary communication, parents or persons in parental relation may use the following methods to contact their student during school hours while adhering to this policy: 

a) Parents/persons in parental relation can communicate with their student during school hours through one of the following formats: 

• Send in a hand-written note 
• Send an email to the building secretary 
• Call the main office 

b) The middle and high schools currently have a designated phone in the office for student use. Students can continue to access this phone to call home when needed. 

Parents and persons in parental relation will be notified in writing of the methods that are available for contacting their student during school hours upon enrollment and at the beginning of each school year.