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Bordentown Regional School District

Tradition Built and Future Focused

Cell Phones

  • New Jersey Department of Education Releases Updated Guidance on Bellto-Bell Policies to Prohibit Student Use of Cell Phones in Schools Trenton, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) today released updated Guidance for Schools on Student Use of Internet-Enabled Devices to assist local school boards as they adopt bell-tobell policies banning student use of cell phones and other internet-enabled devices during the school day. Recently signed legislation (P.L.2025, c.195) requires each local board of education to adopt such bellto-bell policies prohibiting students’ non-academic use of cell phones and personal internet-enabled devices during the school day, with certain exceptions. The local bell-to-bell policies are required to be aligned to the NJDOE’s guidance.

     

    To View the Guidance Issued by the State of NJ – Click Here

  • A poster detailing the "CELL PHONE POLICY" for "HOPESTOWN REGIONAL SCHOOL, DISTRICT" with "FOCUSED LEARNING, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY" as its motto.

  • Poster outlining new student cell phone expectations for Bordentown Regional School District, effective September 2006.

  • Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, a new state law changes how personal cell phones and other
    internet-enabled devices are handled during the school day. Every public school district in New Jersey is required to
    follow it, and Bordentown Regional is no exception. This summary explains, in plain terms, what the law requires our
    schools to do, when your child may still use a device, and how you can reach your child during the day.
    The law was passed because of a growing body of research showing that constant access to phones during the
    school day can pull students’ attention away from learning and add to stress and anxiety. The goal is simple: more
    focus, more face-to-face connection, and a calmer school day for our students.

    What the Law Requires Our Schools to Do The law (P.L. 2025, c. 195) and the New Jersey Department of Education set a floor that every district must meet. For Bordentown Regional, that means our schools are required to:


    • Have a “bell-to-bell” policy in place for 2026–2027. We must adopt and follow a policy that keeps personal
    internet-enabled devices put away for the entire school day.


    • Keep devices away all day — not just in class. The rule covers the whole school day, including the time
    between classes, lunch, recess, study halls, and other supervised periods.


    • Apply the rule to all grades, PK–12. The prohibition is required for every grade level, with developmentally
    appropriate expectations for younger and older students.


    • Honor medical, disability, and other documented needs. Federal and state law require us to allow device
    use when a student needs it for an IEP, a 504 plan, a documented health condition, and certain other
    situations described below.


    • Plan for emergencies. We must build device expectations into our school safety and security plans, so
    students and staff know what to do during a lockdown, evacuation, or other emergency.


    • Communicate clearly with you. We must make sure families, students, and staff understand the policy and
    how it works, and we must ask families to acknowledge the policy each year.

     

    To See the Full Family Reference Guide – Click Here

  • Personal Electronic Devices / Wireless Electronic Devices

    For the purposes of this policy, personal wireless electronic devices include cell phones, smart watches, earbuds/headphones, tablets, and any device capable of sending or receiving wireless messages or data; any wearable technology that has the capability to play audio or to record, send, or receive data or messages; and/or any device that can connect to the internet or via Bluetooth. This includes, but is not limited to, smart watches, smart glasses, smart clothing, recordable devices, and any technology which may be introduced in the future capable of doing these things.

    Consistent with P.L.2025, c.195 and the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) “Guidance for Schools on Student Use of Internet-Enabled Devices” (revised January 2026), this policy distinguishes between internet-enabled devices and non-internet-enabled devices as set forth in the “Device Types” section below. The statutory bell-to-bell prohibition applies to student use of personal internet-enabled devices.

    Device Types

    Effective implementation of this policy requires the district to define the types of devices it covers so that expectations are clear and consistently applied across classrooms, grade levels, and buildings.

    • Internet-enabled devices include, but are not limited to, smartphones, tablets, smart watches, and smart glasses, and any other personal device capable of connecting to the internet or accessing online content, including social media applications. An internet-enabled device does not include a device provided by the district when used for educational purposes.
    • Non-internet-enabled devices include basic flip-style cell phones, two-way radios/walkie-talkies, and similar devices that cannot connect to the internet or access online content.

    The statutory “bell-to-bell” prohibition established by P.L.2025, c.195 applies to personal internet-enabled devices. Consistent with the district’s authority to adopt a policy more stringent than the NJDOE guidelines, the district also regulates the possession and use of non-internet-enabled devices and all other personal electronic devices during the instructional day as set forth in this policy.

     

    To Review the full Policy – Click Here