Directs the department of education to establish model codes of conduct on school property regarding cellphone use.
Summary
This bill would require the New York State Education Department, working with the state council of school superintendents and the state school boards association, to create and publish model codes of conduct for school property. Those model codes would cover conduct on school grounds and in school buildings, and must include guidance on student cellphone use during school hours.
The bill also requires every school district, the New York City chancellor, boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES), charter schools, and nonpublic schools to develop their own policies and procedures governing student cellphone use during school hours. The measure is prospective, taking effect July 1 after enactment, with authority for any needed implementing regulations to be prepared in advance.
Impact
The bill would add two new provisions to the Education Law: a new section directing the Education Department to issue model codes of conduct on school property, and a new section requiring schools and school systems statewide to adopt cellphone-use policies. It would affect public school districts, NYC schools, BOCES, charter schools, and nonpublic schools, while also extending to school property broadly defined to include buildings and surrounding grounds. The practical effect is to standardize and encourage local cellphone policies while leaving the specific rules to individual schools and districts.
Sentiment
No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no documented debate or recorded sentiment in the materials supplied. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears administrative and policy-oriented rather than controversial on its face, aiming to give schools clearer guidance on cellphone use and conduct on school property.
Contention
The main likely point of contention is the balance between statewide model guidance and local control: the bill directs the Education Department to produce model codes, but also requires every school entity to develop its own policies and procedures. Another possible issue is the scope of the requirement, since it applies not only to public districts but also to charter and nonpublic schools. The bill text does not indicate any specific opposition, amendments, or disputed provisions in the materials provided.