West Seneca board hears plan to implement New York State ban on internet-enabled devices in schools

Superintendent Dr. Krueger told the West Seneca Central School District Board of Education on June 17 that New York State’s new “distraction-free” school law requires every district to adopt a policy restricting student use of internet-enabled devices during the instructional day and to involve stakeholders in creating and publicizing that policy.

Why it matters: The change will affect day-to-day routines for students, staff and families across the district and includes annual reporting and equity checks that the district must submit to the state.

Dr. Krueger said the state law “ban[s] personal technology devices in schools this fall” and explained the district has already begun stakeholder outreach, including a parent survey, meetings with student leaders and bargaining units, and review of a sample policy from Erie 1 BOCES policy services. He summarized the law’s scope, saying, “The school day is from the start of the instructional day until the end of the instructional day.”

Assistant to the board Jackie Fowler, who led the code of conduct revision committee, gave an overview of the draft changes tied to the law. She said the draft makes explicit that the prohibition covers any internet-enabled devices — tablets, smartwatches and cellphones — and that the district will list exceptions for medical needs and students covered by an IEP or Section 504 accommodation. “It outlines that students may not, use any personal technology devices,” Fowler told the board.

The draft code also (1) defines the school day to include homeroom, lunch, recess, study halls and passing times; (2) retains earlier “zones” language so the public can see what would be removed; (3) clarifies prohibited conduct (including cyberviolations and gambling apps); and (4) adds visitor-badge language tied to the Raptor visitor management system the district plans to start this summer.

Dr. Krueger and Fowler said the law prohibits out-of-school suspension solely for device use and requires districts to publish an annual report of policy violations, with demographic breakdowns, by Sept. 1, 2026, so the state can assess equitable enforcement. Dr. Krueger said some families worried about emergency communications; he said the district must provide clear guidance on how parents can reach students during the day, for example by calling a school office.

Board members asked about enforcement and discipline. Dr. Krueger described a progressive approach under consideration — a warning for a first offense, temporary device retention for repeated offenses and parent pickup for repeated noncompliance — and said the district would not use out-of-school suspension for device-only incidents. Fowler said the district is introducing restorative-practices language to inform consequences where appropriate.

Next steps and timeline: The code-of-conduct draft will be posted for a 30-day public comment period before the board considers adoption; the superintendent said the board plans to finalize an implementation recommendation at a stakeholder meeting on June 18 and aims to present the adopted code at the July 22 board meeting. The administration will finalize and publish procedures for how devices will be stored (examples discussed included lockers, lockable pouches marketed for that purpose, or allowing students to carry devices turned off).

Board members and a speaker identifying themselves as law enforcement noted safety benefits from limiting phones during active emergencies, saying rapid parent arrivals can complicate an incident response. The district said it will include exceptions for medical monitoring apps and for students with IEP/504 protections and for translation service needs.

The board did not take a formal vote on the policy at the June 17 meeting. The district will gather additional stakeholder feedback at the June 18 implementation meeting and accept public comment on the draft code before a final vote.

For families: the district will describe how parents may communicate time-sensitive messages to students during the school day, how devices should be stored, and the consequences ladder for violations. The law requires public posting of the policy and publication of an annual violations report with demographic breakdowns.