Montville committee recommends student‑managed storage and classroom restrictions to comply with new NJ law
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Summary
A Montville Township High School committee recommended a student‑managed storage model and classroom‑level restrictions to comply with recent New Jersey legislation that requires a bell‑to‑bell prohibition on nonacademic use of internet‑enabled devices. Board members pressed for clarity on exceptions, enforcement and costs; the policy committee will draft formal language for board review.
A district committee convened to study student device use recommended that Montville Township High School move to a student‑managed storage model and adopt classroom‑level restrictions in the near term while aligning district policy with recently updated New Jersey law requiring bell‑to‑bell prohibitions.
Doug Sanford, who introduced the committee and its findings, said the group reviewed national research, state guidance and local survey results before settling on a model that balances instructional needs and accessibility for students with documented medical or educational needs. "Our primary goal from day one has been to determine the most appropriate evidence‑based recommendations specifically tailored for Montville Township High School," Sanford said.
The committee outlined three research pillars: national/regional policy review, an academic literature review and local stakeholder surveys. It reported that 36 states had enacted laws or policies on device use in K–12 settings and that the New Jersey Department of Education has issued guidance recommending limits on personal device use. An August 2025 New Jersey Commission on Social Media report, the committee said, recommended bell‑to‑bell bans.
Locally, the committee surveyed staff, parents and students. It reported responses from 111 staff members, with 86 percent saying they lose instructional time managing phone use and staff rating the negative impact on learning at a 4.14 average on a 1–5 scale. Student surveys exceeded 800 responses; students indicated they prefer access during noninstructional times such as before and after school and at lunch.
Based on those findings the committee recommended a policy narrower than a full‑day lockout for high school students: a classroom‑based ban in which phones are stored (for example, in classroom caddies) during instructional blocks and teachers retain discretion to allow devices for specific instructional purposes. The recommendation includes documented exceptions for students who rely on personal devices for medical monitoring, translation, screen readers or services mandated by an IEP or 504 plan.
Committee members also presented an addendum addressing recent legislation (identified in the committee materials as Senate Bill 3,695) and updated NJDOE guidance that define "bell‑to‑bell" as the entire period from the start of the school day to dismissal and explicitly include passing time, lunch and study halls. To fully comply, the committee recommended discontinuing bring‑your‑own‑device during school hours, transitioning to district‑issued Chromebooks for instructional use, and disabling guest Wi‑Fi during instructional time.
The committee evaluated storage models and recommended student‑managed storage—requiring students to power off and store internet‑enabled devices in lockers or backpacks—because it leverages existing infrastructure and avoids the upfront and operational costs tied to pouch systems or classroom lockboxes. The director of IT services said the suggested technology changes could be implemented with no additional district IT cost.
Board members questioned how exceptions would be handled and who would notify families. In response the committee said case managers and 504 teams would handle accommodations and that the policy would be reflected in the student handbook and communicated to families. One board member proposed phasing in a more restrictive policy over two to three years to allow high‑school parents and students to adjust.
No formal board adoption of a new device policy occurred at the meeting; board members agreed the policy committee will draft formal language consistent with state guidance and present it for board review. The committee said the implementation target discussed in the presentation was Sept. 1 of the 2026‑27 school year, subject to board approval and final guidance from state education officials.
What's next: the district's policy committee will develop a draft policy and handbook language informed by the committee's report and the NJDOE guidelines; the board will review that draft before any final vote.