By Wendy Greenberg
The Princeton Public Schools Board of Education is close to adopting a cell phone and device policy later this summer. But there is no question that come the fall, the only texts that high school students will be reading in the lunchroom or hallways of Princeton High School will be books.
A new state law banning cell phones and other devices in schools represents “a major shift,” at the high school, said Superintendent Michael LaSusa in a communication to district families last week.
Previously, high school students were permitted to use their cell phones when they were not in class, he said. “Next year they will not be permitted to do that, as phones must be off and away for the entirety of the school day.”
Although some school districts enacted their own device bans in the last couple years, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a statewide law as he left office in January. The law requires boards of education to restrict student use of internet-enabled devices during the entire school day — referred to as bell to bell — starting with the fall term. The law defines an “internet-enabled device” as “a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or other device capable of connecting to the internet and enabling the user to access content on the internet, including social media applications,” but not devices schools may provide for educational purposes.
Educators have maligned cell phones for distracting students during the school day. In Princeton, the high school staff conducted a survey of both students and staff earlier this year, said LaSusa, that revealed that many high school staff members view cell phones as a distraction and believe that students use their
phones too frequently during the school day. He added that there have been violations of the academic integrity policy (responsible use of technology) involving cell phones this past year.
In Princeton, a strict no-cell phone policy is enforced in grades K through 8. But enforcing a ban at the high school presents its own set of challenges, noted LaSusa at the June 16 School Board meeting. First there is the number of students, 1,500. Also, there is an unsupervised lunch period. The new policy, which includes disciplinary measures, was given a first reading at that Board meeting.
Under the new law, K-8 students will not see much change, except they will not be able to wear a smartwatch that connects to the internet.
According to the district letter, the high school administration is “finalizing a disciplinary framework for violations of the new rules and also continues to explore whether an app that students could voluntarily download to their phones to help curtail their use would be a helpful tool for some students.”
Consequences could include a temporary restriction or complete loss of district technology privileges, detention, suspension, or other school-based disciplinary measures. Those final details will be provided by early August, noted LaSusa.
The administration is also exploring the use of a voluntary phone app that would lock the student’s phone during the school day, and unlock at the last bell, with parental approval.
The New Jersey Department of Education’s “2025 Guidance for Schools on Student Use of Internet-Enabled Devices” states in its introduction: “In today’s increasingly connected world, cell phones and other internet-enabled devices are integral to how students communicate, access information, and engage with the broader world. However, the unregulated use of these devices during the school day can result in lower academic performance, harm to emotional well-being, and deterioration of a positive school climate.”
The law is compliant with disability and health regulations that might require use of internet-connected devices as accommodations; and the law requires addressing usage during emergencies.
Some school districts already have bans in place. The Lawrence Township Public School District, for example, began its program in the 2024-2025 school year, when high school students were not permitted to use cell phones, earbuds, and smartwatches during instructional time, “parking” them on entering the classroom. At the Lawrence Middle School, Lawrence Intermediate School, and all four elementary schools, the policy has been “Away for the Day,” where students were not allowed to use or have access to a phone (or use a smartwatch as a cell phone) throughout the school day.
In a September 4, 2024 blog, Lawrence Superintendent Robyn Klim called that cell phone policy a “proactive step to minimize distractions and create an environment where our students can fully engage with their studies and each other.”
Other early adopters of cell phone regulation in New Jersey were Cherry Hill Public Schools; Bridgewater-Raritan High School; Linden Public Schools, which used special locked pouches that can only be unlocked at stations; and the West Morris Regional High School District.
LaSusa said that the Board will adopt a finalized policy this summer and the district will communicate updates to parents before the start of next school year.