ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul’s smartphone ban in K-12 schools throughout the state goes into effect this week.

Under the new regulations, schools developed their own policy for restricting smartphones, allowing administrators and teachers to advance a plan that works best for their buildings and students. The cell phone ban has received criticism from some parents, but two local school districts, Middletown and Newburgh, previously introduced similar policies with success.

Hochul made a stop at Middletown High School last month during a trip to the city to talk about the state’s smartphone ban. The governor participated in a roundtable discussion with school district administrators, educators, and students. This was her latest stop on her six-month-long tour of the state to tout her K-

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