The Department's own answers

All sixteen NJDOE answers, in plain language

NJDOE published a sixteen-question FAQ in July 2026. Below is every question in the Department’s own wording, the Department’s own answer in the serif, and a plain-language restatement underneath it. Where an answer surprises people, we say why, without adding anything the FAQ does not contain.

State guidanceIssued by the Commissioner of Education under the statute. Revisable by NJDOE without new legislation.

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Sixteen questions, one document

General

5 questions

Which entities are required to adopt a bell-to-bell policy beginning with the 2026-2027 school year?

NJDOE’s answer

Pursuant to P.L. 2025, c. 195, all New Jersey public school districts, including charter schools and renaissance school projects, must adopt and implement a bell-to-bell policy that prohibits the use of personal internet-enabled devices during the entirety of the school day for students in kindergarten through grade 12.

All New Jersey public school districts, including charter schools and renaissance school projects. The policy covers kindergarten through grade 12.^Q1

What does a bell-to-bell policy mean?

NJDOE’s answer

Bell-to-bell describes the timeframe when the bell rings at the start of the school day until the dismissal bell rings at the end of the school day.

From the bell that starts the school day to the dismissal bell at the end of it. Outside that window you may use your own device, unless your district's policy restricts it further. That covers before school, after school, before a sports practice, and any other time you are on school grounds outside regular hours.^Q2

This is the FAQ that tells you the restriction starts at a bell, not at the front door.

What should be included in school district policies?

NJDOE’s answer

It is important to note that a school district may adopt a policy more stringent than the NJDOE Guidelines.

A bell-to-bell ban for the whole regular school day, a description of what counts as a personal internet-enabled device, the storage options used, the circumstances in which a student may need their device, the process for requesting an exception, what is expected during an emergency, and how consequences will be applied through the district's code of student conduct. A district may adopt a policy stricter than the state guidelines.^Q3

What types of devices are included in the policy?

NJDOE’s answer

School district policies are required to prohibit student use of any personal internet-enabled devices. This includes, but is not limited to, smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, smart glasses, etc.

Any personal internet-enabled device. The FAQ names smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and smart glasses, and says the list is not exhaustive. If you need your device for something like an IEP accommodation, healthcare monitoring or translation, your district's exception process applies.^Q4

How will parents be able to reach their child during the school day?

NJDOE’s answer

In the event of a school-related or personal emergency, where immediate contact is necessary, parents are encouraged to contact the school’s main office for assistance.

Schools decide the method and are told to tell families about it at the start of the year, for example a specific phone number, a student email account, or a school messaging app. Families are encouraged not to contact a student on a personal device during the day. If contact is urgent, call the school's main office.^Q5

This is the answer parents most often arrive looking for, and it is why the emergency page says to call the office rather than the student.

Access to Devices

5 questions

Are all schools in the district required to use the same storage option?

NJDOE’s answer

No. School districts have flexibility to determine the storage needs for all students. This permits different storage options by school, grade, and/or another configuration.

No. A district can use different storage options in different schools, for different grades, or in some other arrangement that fits its needs.^Q6

Are districts that use software or other technology to block students' use of their personal devices in compliance with the law?

NJDOE’s answer

School districts must restrict students from using their personal internet-enabled devices for the entirety of the school day.

They may be, if the software actually stops students using those devices for the entire school day. Either way the district remains responsible for making the policy work, whichever storage or blocking method it picks, and it is told to check with the local municipality that there are no safety or security concerns.^Q7

Can students use personal internet-enabled devices during lunch, study hall, and/or time in between classes?

NJDOE’s answer

No. The bell-to-bell policy requires personal internet-enabled devices to be off and stored for the entirety of the school day. Students may not access these devices during lunch on campus, study hall, time between classes, and/or other periods during the school day.

No. Devices must be off and stored for the entirety of the school day, including lunch on campus, study hall and time between classes.^Q8

This is the single answer this site argues should change. It is a Department document, not the statute. That is why the Commissioner can revise it.

Can students use internet-enabled devices to listen to music during the regular school day?

NJDOE’s answer

If a school allows students to listen to music during the school day, it is recommended that the school allow students to listen to music by using their district-issued technology (e.g., district-issued laptop).

If a school allows music during the day, it is recommended that students use district-issued technology such as a school laptop. Only if the district-issued technology cannot do it may a student use a personal device, and only with authorisation from the chief school administrator, principal or designee, after they decide no reasonable alternative exists.^Q9

Can students use internet-enabled devices during extracurricular activities?

NJDOE’s answer

For extracurricular activities that occur before or after the school day, students are permitted to use their internet-enabled devices unless the school district’s policy further restricts student access to internet-enabled devices beyond regular school hours.

For activities before or after the school day, yes, unless the district restricts it. For an activity that happens during the school day, such as a club meeting at lunch, no, unless the chief school administrator, principal or designee authorises it after deciding there is no reasonable alternative.^Q10

A club that meets after school and the same club meeting at lunch get different answers.

More on clubs, practice and after-school activities

Classroom Instruction

3 questions

Q11

Are students allowed to use internet-enabled devices during instruction?

NJDOE’s answer

Students are allowed to use district-issued technology, such as district-issued laptops, and sponsored platforms during the school day for educational purposes.

District-issued technology and school platforms may be used for educational purposes. Personal devices may not, unless the chief school administrator, principal or designee has authorised it after deciding no reasonable alternative exists.^Q11

Are there situations where students may be permitted to use their personal devices for instructional purposes?

NJDOE’s answer

Yes. Students should be permitted to use their personal internet-enabled devices during the school day: to fulfill accommodations in a student’s individualized education program (IEP); to support implementation of a 504 Plan; to implement a student health plan; for translation services; for a student caregiver who is routinely responsible for the care or well-being of a family member; when required by law; and in the event of an emergency.

Yes. To fulfil an IEP accommodation, to support a 504 plan, to implement a student health plan, for translation services, for a student caregiver responsible for a family member, when required by law, and in an emergency. There may also be specific situations where no reasonable alternative exists, which an administrator must authorise. Boards are encouraged to list those approved circumstances in the policy in advance.^Q12

Q13

Can a device be written into a student's IEP, 504 plan or student health plan?

NJDOE’s answer

It is possible for a cell phone or other internet-enabled device to be included in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), 504, or student health plan when the team determines that the device is necessary to support the student’s access to education, health needs, or functional independence.

Yes, where the team decides the device is necessary for the student's access to education, health needs or functional independence. It is then treated as an accommodation or assistive technology, must relate to the documented need, must match the conditions and settings described in the plan, and must follow the school's rules for non-disruptive use. Requests go through the ordinary IEP, 504 or health-planning process.^Q13

Off-School Grounds

3 questions

Q14

Can students use internet-enabled devices on school buses?

NJDOE’s answer

Yes. Unless the school district’s policy further restricts student access to internet-enabled devices, students may use internet-enabled devices on school buses.

Yes, unless the district's policy restricts it. Once the school day starts, devices must be stored for the rest of it.^Q14

The bus is unstructured, non-instructional time, and it is permitted by default. That is half of this site's strongest argument.

Is a student restricted from using a device when they leave school grounds, for example for off-campus lunch or an internship?

NJDOE’s answer

No. When a student leaves school campus, whether for an open lunch period, internship, or other purpose, they should be permitted to use their personal internet-enabled devices.

No. A student who leaves campus for an open lunch period, an internship or another purpose should be permitted to use their personal device. On returning to campus it must be stored again for the rest of the day.^Q15

Off-campus lunch is permitted; the same lunch period in the cafeteria is not. That is the other half of the argument.

Can a student use a device on a school-sponsored field trip?

NJDOE’s answer

A chief school administrator, principal, or designee may authorize that students are permitted to use their cell phone or other internet-enabled devices on a field trip after determining that no reasonable alternatives to using an internet-enabled device exist to participate in the field trip.

Only if the chief school administrator, principal or designee authorises it after deciding that no reasonable alternative exists for participating in the trip. Boards are encouraged to name field trips in the policy's list of approved circumstances, with a procedure for requesting an exception.^Q16

Read the Department’s document, not ours

The serif above is the Department’s wording; everything in the sans is a restatement. Where a restatement and the original differ, the original governs. The full FAQ document, the guidance it accompanies, and the statute behind both are listed with links and verification dates on the sources page.