Children and youth

New Jersey Bans Cellphones in Schools

Are cellphone bans in schools a game changer for student wellbeing, or just another unfunded mandate that misses the point?

Published JAN 9

Story

Above: A smart phone on a desk in a classroom at the UAlbany campus in Albany, New York. Image credit: Paul Buckowski/Albany Times Union/Getty Images

The Facts

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation on Thursday, requiring public school districts to adopt policies restricting student use of cellphones and internet-enabled devices during school hours. The law takes effect in the 2026-2027 school year.
State of New Jersey
The legislation directs the New Jersey Department of Education to develop statewide guidelines within 90 days, which local boards of education must use to create policies prohibiting non-academic device use during regular school hours, on buses and at school events.
New Jersey Monitor
WRNJ
FOX 5 New York
The state allocated $3 million in grants to support phone-free schools, with $980,000 already awarded to 86 districts to help purchase storage equipment and fund training related to the restrictions.
Nj.com
ABC7 New York
Exceptions to the ban include device use for emergencies, translation services, educational purposes and cases where health care professionals document that phone access is necessary for a student's health and well-being.
WRNJ
New Jersey Monitor
Murphy said his administration was “ensuring New Jersey schools are a place for learning and engagement, not distracting screens." He said that in Ramsey High School in Bergen County, where such a ban is already in place, "students are more focused, less anxious."
State of New Jersey
Murphy signed the law days before leaving office. Including New Jersey, 37 states and the District of Columbia now have laws or rules limiting phones in schools, with devices banned throughout the school day in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
The New York Times
Patch.com
NBC10 Philadelphia

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Techno-skeptic narrative

Banning cellphones in schools is a game changer backed by overwhelming evidence. Students show improved mental health, fewer distractions and better classroom engagement when phones are removed bell-to-bell. Jersey City already reports more socialization, decreased suspensions and fewer students expressing suicidal ideation since implementing their ban.

GovTech

NJ Spotlight

Techno-optimist narrative

Research on phone bans produces wildly mixed results, with no clear benefits to student achievement or mental health. Teachers already face impossible burdens implementing unfunded mandates without proper planning or resources. Banning phones while students still have constant access to school-issued tablets and laptops is like locking the front door and leaving the back door open.