On May 6, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new policy to create a standard for distraction-free schools in New York State. This new requirement will begin in the 2025-26 school year with restrictions on cellphones and other internet-enabled personal devices (smartwatches, tablets, etc.) in K-12 schools during the school day. The new mandate includes the following:

• No unsanctioned use of cellphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds in K-12 schools for the entire school day, including classroom time and other settings like lunch and study hall periods.
• Exceptions will be made for devices used for instructional purposes, outlined in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), required to manage a medical condition, needed for translation or language access, or necessary for students serving as caregivers.

Read Now: Draft Policy 5695: 'Students and Personal Electronic Devices'
(Web-published version for best accessibility)

Students, families, and staff can also download clean or tracked-changes versions of this draft policy, as shared at a Special Meeting of the Rochester Board of Education on June 10, 2025:

• 5695 Students and Personal Electronic Devices (Clean Copy 6-6-25)
• 5695 Students and Personal Electronic Devices (Tracked Changes Version 6-6-25)
  

As we prepare to implement the new policy for the 2025–26 school year, we are seeking your input to ensure our local approach supports student learning, equity, and communication. Please take a few minutes to share your feedback via a survey, participate in the July 8th public hearing, or send written feedback by email to publichearing@rcsdk12.org.