New Jersey has enacted a sweeping new phone-free schools law that will require every public school district in the state to prohibit student cell phone use during the school day beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.  The law mandates each school to have a district-level policy prohibiting cell phone usages in school.  This law applies to all K-12 public schools  and is a “bell-to-bell” phone free mandate, meaning students may not use their cell phone/smart phone from the minute the first bell rings to the last bell of the day.  The law also  covers not only classrooms, but school hallways, buses and school -sponsored events.  Many school districts have been clamoring for this law, and have enacted their own cell phone bans by policy.  This law should assist school districts in keeping the focus of the day on learning, and not the distractions that come with cell phones.

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