On Thursday, Oct. 22, the New Jersey School Boards Association joined Governor Mikie Sherrill at Cherry Hill High School East as she heard directly from students about the implementation and impact of New Jersey’s statewide, bell-to-bell restrictions on cell phones and other internet-enabled devices in K-12 schools. The prohibition was enacted through P.L.2025, c.195 (signed by Governor Phil Murphy in January 2026); the New Jersey Department of Education has since released guidance for districts as they enact policies to implement the ban.
“The New Jersey School Boards Association remains committed to supporting our districts in fostering distraction-free education environments. These policies restricting student cell phone use empower our schools to prioritize instructional time and student engagement and to create learning environments where students can focus on academics and meaningful peer interaction,” said Dr. Timothy Purnell, CEO and Executive Director of the NJ School Boards Association. “We will keep working with our districts to implement these policies effectively and to learn from their experience.”
During her visit to Cherry Hill High School East, Governor Sherrill participated in a roundtable discussion with students about how the policy is shaping their classroom experiences, interactions with classmates, and daily routines. The bell-to-bell restrictions cover the entire school day, including lunch, study hall, and time between classes. Districts have flexibility to choose storage methods that meet their communities’ needs, including locked pouches, lockers, classroom storage, or requiring students to keep devices turned off and stored in their belongings.
For more details, please see the official press release.
