On Tuesday thousands of Newark students returned to the classroom but not without a statewide cellphone ban that requires schools to strictly limit the use of phones, smartwatches and other internet connected devices during the school day.
The law, which was signed by the former New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, takes effect this school year and requires every district to develop its own enforcement plan. Newark public schools, which is the state’s largest school district, are implementing an “off and away” policy for students. Which means that devices must be turned off and stored in a pocket, bag, or locker during school hours.
Any students whose devices are seen or heard could have them confiscated and may lose the privilege of carrying devices at school and those violations could also be handled through the district’s disciplinary process, district officials say.
Districts have flexibility in how they store devices and the guidelines require exceptions for students with medical needs, IEP’s or emergencies.
The first day of school also marks another milestone for Newark Public Schools as the district enters the seventh year of its 10-year strategic plan to transform the school system. Superintendent Roger Leon, a graduate of Newark Public Schools is leading this effort. During the start of the new year, Leon visited multiple schools throughout the day to welcome students back to the classroom.
Newark serves 43,216 students across 66 schools in the current academic year. The New Jersey Department of Education designated the system a High Performing District on July 1 after it met or exceeded state benchmarks across all five evaluation areas under the Quality Single Accountability Continuum.
