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Policy committee pauses local smartphone rulemaking pending governor’s proposal
Summary
The board’s policy committee paused work on a district‑level cell phone policy after Governor Hochul’s budget proposal included model language and a $13.5 million allocation for pouches and storage; committee members said they will wait for final legislative language before proceeding.
The Yorktown Central School District policy committee paused local rulemaking on smartphone policies during the Jan. 27 board meeting, citing a governor’s proposal that could establish requirements or funding for phone storage solutions in schools.
Committee members said they had been reviewing sample policies (including a NISPA model) and discussing concerns raised by administrators about phone use in elementary versus secondary schools. Cheryl reported that the governor’s budget proposal includes language to restrict smartphone use in schools and an allocation of $13.5 million for pouches and cubbies to store devices; the committee recommended waiting for the governor’s final legislative language before finalizing local policy.
Several board members and administrators said the issue differs across grade spans: middle and high school administrators reported fewer systemic problems, while elementary staff identified more frequent distractions from phones, smartwatches and wearable devices. The committee noted that mandatory district‑wide confiscation or storage policies raise practical concerns—responsibility for devices, potential disruption to schedules and enforcement—so members prefer to review the governor’s final requirements before drafting a policy.
Policy committee members said they will resume work once the state’s position is clear and may use NISPA templates as a starting point if districts retain local control of implementation.
