BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — When the 2025-2026 school year began in the fall, New York became the largest state in the U.S. with a bell-to-bell ban on smartphones and other internet-enabled devices in K-12 schools.
Now, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said a new survey shows that the ban is "delivering outstanding results for New York students and teachers."
According to the governor’s office, it distributed the survey in November and received over 350 responses from school administrators statewide who implemented bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions. The governor's office said:
- 92 percent reported that their transition to a distraction-free policy went smoothly.
- 83 percent reported that their schools are experiencing more positive classroom environments and better student engagement.
- 75 percent reported that implementing a distraction-free policy is improving their ability to teach effectively.
“Our kids are finding greater success in the classroom when they’re focused on learning, not scrolling. This year, I was proud to champion a statewide distraction-free schools initiative, working hand-in-hand with New York teachers, students, and parents to create a policy that works for each community across our state. These survey results are indicative of that effort, illustrating the effectiveness of our tailored approach to phone-free schools, and offer a glimpse of the success to come for our students.”
- Gov. Hochul
