New York’s Bell-to-Bell School Device Ban: How Restricting Phones Is Shaping Student Success

In 2024, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced a sweeping initiative to prohibit the use of personal wireless devices by students during the instructional day in K–12 schools. Known as the “bell-to-bell” ban, the policy aims to restrict smartphone and other personal device usage between the first and last school bells. This policy decision is part of a growing wave of concerns among educators, mental health professionals, and policymakers about the academic and developme...