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Board says district will adopt K–2 phone restrictions after policy committee review
Summary
Student leaders asked about Governor Murphy's new K–2 phone restriction; interim superintendent Bruce Watson and board attorney Steven Fogerty said the district will develop a policy via the board's policy committee and implement it for the 2026–2027 school year in line with commissioner guidance.
Student representatives at the Madison Board of Education meeting asked what the new statewide restrictions on cell phones will mean for students in the coming school year. "As you return from winter break, the high school has seen strong engagement and ... a phone‑free pep rally," student leader Emma Chrian said, and asked for clarification after the governor's announcement.
Interim Superintendent Bruce Watson told the board the district is "looking at it" and will follow the standard policy development process. Steven Fogerty, the board attorney, told the board the requirement is that the policy be adopted by the board and "the policy be implemented with the 2026‑2027 school year," and that the commissioner’s forthcoming guidelines will set minimum requirements for local policy.
The board's policy committee will discuss the item at its next meeting, administration said; after committee deliberations the policy will come to the full board for a first reading and later a second reading for final adoption. The board said the first policy meeting of the year is scheduled for the end of January and that the process allows for public feedback after the first reading.
Why it matters: The new state directive will require districts to adopt written rules about non‑academic use of personal internet‑enabled devices on school grounds during the school day. Madison parents and student leaders who spoke sought clarity on grade levels, implementation details and how classroom practices (for example, phone sacks or locker storage) will be handled. The district did not provide a finalized list of approved AI or other software tied to district devices during the meeting.
What’s next: Administration said the policy will appear on a future agenda for a first reading after policy committee work and that the commissioner’s guidance will inform district minimum standards. Community members may submit feedback once the first reading is posted to an agenda.
