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Cell Phones

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 Lumberton Township 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/devices 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 Lumberton, 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-8. 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.
  • 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 ensure that families, students, and staff understand the policy and how it works, and we must ask families to acknowledge it each year.