Three Village to Form Committee to Implement Statewide ‘Bell-to-Bell’ Cell‑Phone Ban

Doctor Scanlon, a district staff member, told the Three Village Central School District Board of Education that the governor's proposal to ban student use of personal internet‑enabled devices in schools was adopted by the state legislature and the district must adopt a policy for implementation.

The district will convene a committee representing parents, staff and other constituencies to review draft policy language from the district's attorneys; that committee met the day after the board meeting. Doctor Scanlon said the new rule covers "any Internet enabled devices, including smartwatches," and that district‑issued devices would be exempt.

Doctor Scanlon described the scope and timeline the district must follow: the board must adopt a policy by Aug. 1, the ban is "a bell to bell ban" (from the start of the school day to the end of the school day), and the district must report data about device incidents to the state by Sept. 1, 2026. She added the ban does not apply before the start of classes or after dismissal.

The committee will consider operational questions that districts nationwide have faced, including options for device storage systems; Scanlon said purchasing storage devices is possible but not an administrative recommendation due to cost. The committee's recommendation will go to the district's code of conduct committee, which will then make a recommendation to the board ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline.

Discussion only: board members and administration raised implementation logistics and communication requirements; Doctor Scanlon emphasized multiple community notifications would be required before school opens.

Next steps: the cell‑phone committee will meet, the code of conduct committee will review any recommendation, and the board must adopt a policy by Aug. 1 with the district producing the statutorily required incident data by Sept. 1, 2026.