Westbury affirms "bell-to-bell" cell-phone ban; district has not yet received state funds

Westbury Union Free School District officials confirmed the district enacted a "bell-to-bell" cell-phone ban for scholars and said they had not yet received the state funds earmarked to support the policy. At the Sept. 9 planning meeting, staff said the district's rule prohibits students from carrying or using phones from the morning bell until the end-of-day bell, including phones kept in backpacks. "Our policy is exactly that. Scholars cannot have a phone on their person from morning bell till end of day bell," the assistant superintendent said, explaining families are asked to keep phones in lockers or at home. She said the district had not received grant funds yet and estimated state allocations to districts would be modest; staff discussed an expected per-district amount in the low tens of thousands if awarded. Why it matters: the policy affects daily student routines and school operations. District officials said they are preparing town-hall meetings and communication plans to help parents and staff adapt, and they established dedicated phone lines at each school so families can reach students for important messages without using student phones. Grant status and protocol: speakers said Governor Kathy Hochul's operating budget included a statewide allocation for implementation support, but Westbury had not received its share as of the meeting. Staff said the district will likely need to demonstrate increased costs to receive grant funding (for example, if the volume of parent calls requires additional staffing) and that the district is tracking whether such incremental costs arise. What trustees and staff said: staff said the district circulated a two-page memo about the ban and will host additional town halls; they also emphasized that the district has dedicated phone lines at each school so important messages can be delivered to students. Board President Robert Treano Jr. and others discussed monitoring for any increase in operational costs before applying for grant funds. Next steps: school leaders will continue outreach to families, hold town halls, document any increased costs that would be eligible for grant reimbursement, and notify the board if the district receives funds.