NY to Implement Device-Free Policy in All Schools This Fall

New York schools will implement a "bell-to-bell" device-free policy for students during the 2025-26 school year, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced Tuesday. The policy was part of an agreement Hochul and legislative leaders reached last week on the FY26 state budget. The budget includes $13.5 million for schools that need help buying storage solutions for 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,” Hochul said.