Each of the Big Apple\u2019s roughly 1,600 public schools was tasked with coming up with their own policy roll-out plan, which Michael Mulgrew, president of the city\u2019s teacher union, the United Federation of Teachers, said may take a few months to fine-tune.<\/p>\n
![\"NYC](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-day-school-new-york-110661889.jpg\")
NYC students will be barred from using their phones in school, with some exceptions. WABC<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was supposed to be going on over the past few days is that all the schools were supposed to be going over their plans and making sure that it was in effect and ready to go,\u201d Mulgrew told ABC7<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBut again, it\u2019s probably going to take until about Thanksgiving until it calms down,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Distraction-Free Schools bill into law earlier this year, which requires smartphone restrictions in K-12 schools statewide beginning the 2025-2026 school year.<\/p>\n The move was backed by the state\u2019s powerful teachers\u2019 union and approved by New York City\u2019s Panel of Education<\/a> Policy in a 14-1 vote in July.<\/p>\n Under the policy, students will still be allowed to use the devices during their commutes, but will have to fork them over once the bell rings.<\/p>\n Exceptions will be made for students who use the devices for medical purposes, like monitoring insulin, or for those who are directly responsible for the medical care of a loved one.<\/p>\n Phones can also be used at a teacher\u2019s direction for \u201cspecific educational purposes,\u201d according to the policy, which Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said will be \u201cdynamic.\u201d<\/p>\n The city allocated $25 million for schools to cover steps necessary to implement the phone ban, including storing the devices and ensuring a system exists for parents to contact their kids in an emergency.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Some city students may also see their class sizes reduced this year as schools fall in compliance with a state law that caps no more than 20 students per class in early grades, 23 in 4th through 8th grades, and 25 in high school by 2028.<\/p>\n Mulgrew said this year 60% of classes will meet that as the city has plans on hiring thousands of additional teachers<\/a>.<\/p>\n The city Department of Education will spend $42,168 per student this school year<\/a>, budget experts project.<\/p>\n![\"Hundreds](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-day-school-new-york-110661887.jpg\")
Hundreds of thousands of students returned to New York City\u2019s schools on Thursday. WABC<\/p>\n