Distraction-Free Schools

View the PDF version - Amherst CSD Distraction-Free Schools Plan

Overview: (Required) Policy #7316 - Student Use of Personal Technolgoy
Students are prohibited from using personal internet-enabled devices during the entire school day (first bell before homeroom to last period dismissal bell) on school grounds. This includes all instructional and non-instructional times (ie. homeroom periods, lunch, recess, study halls, passing time).

Examples of a restricted device include, but are not limited to: smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, laptop, fitbit, smart glasses or other wearable device, iPod, and iPad. It includes all devices capable of being connected to the internet.

Within school buildings, wired earbuds and/or headphones (which connect to a standard 3.5mm jack) may be used with teacher or administrative approval when connected to a district device. In classrooms, use is permitted solely for educational purposes with permission from the classroom teacher; in designated common areas or study periods, use must remain appropriate and aligned with each school's guidelines. Wireless earbuds are not permitted during the school day from bell to bell.

School-issued Chromebook instructional devices are allowed. 

Device Storage
All students are encouraged to leave their devices at home. Students may not have continuous possession of their devices throughout the school day.

Middle and High School devices must be turned off and stored in a locked locker during the entire school day (from homeroom/homebase bell through dismissal bell). The law’s intent is to restrict student access to covered devices for non-permitted reasons. Student backpacks are not an acceptable storage option. 

Elementary devices must be turned off and stored in student’s backpacks placed in cubbies and/or lockers during the school day. At the elementary level, it is strongly recommended that internet-enabled devices be left home. 

Checking Messages from Parents
Students may use their cell phones to check messages before the first bell and at the end of the day following the dismissal bell.

Policy Exceptions
Students may be authorized to use an Internet-enabled device during the school day on school grounds for the following purposes. Certain exceptions* will require parents to complete the Distraction-Free Schools Exception Form with documentation from a medical provider, PPS staff or a building principal. Even if a student demonstrates a need for an exception to the law, they may still be required to store their devices during the day. These exceptions do not automatically provide students unrestricted access to devices throughout the entire day.

• If authorized by a teacher, principal, or the District for a specific educational purpose.
•  *Where necessary for the management of a student's health care - As required for tracking health conditions or medical purposes as per Individual Health Care Plan (example: Diabetes monitoring, telehealth appointment).
• In the case of an emergency - Students may be in a designated area with permission from a teacher or administrator, such as during a family emergency. However, during a school-wide emergency, no outside communication between students and parents is allowed, as this could compromise the safety of students and staff.
•  *For translation services.
• *On a case-by-case basis, for a student caregiver who is routinely responsible for the care and well-being of a family member. Such an allowance will only be permitted upon review and determination by a school psychologist, school social worker, or school counselor and in consultation with a school administrator.
• Where required by law.
• When the use is included in the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan.

(*Parents must apply using the Distraction-Free Schools Exception Form. Contact the building main office.)

Enforcement and Consequences
The District is prohibited from suspending a student solely for accessing internet-enabled devices in violation of this policy. However, consistent violations may be considered insubordination. The formal progressive discipline procedures are as follows:

High and Middle School Level:

• First offense: The device will be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of the day.
• Second offense: The device will be confiscated and will be returned to the student at the end of the day and parent/guardian will be notified in writing. One detention will be assigned.
• Third offense: The device will be confiscated until the end of the day. Parent/guardian may be required to pick up the device. Two detentions will be assigned. Student will be required to turn device in to the office upon entry for the next three school days. Parent/guardian will be notified in writing of the offense and this expectation.
• Fourth offense: The device will be confiscated and will be locked in a central location daily for a period of up to 5 weeks. Student will be issued one day of ISS. Parent will be notified in writing of this expectation and may be required to pick up the device. Further infractions may result in daily phone lock-up for up to an additional 5 weeks. The student may also be required to participate in restorative practice activities. In the event a student exhibits a pattern of repeated and persistent violations of this policy, administrators will facilitate a meeting with the student and the student's parent(s) or person(s) in parental relation to discuss: the objectives and expectations of this policy, the contributing causes of the student's challenges in complying with the policy, and measures the District and the student's family can take (e.g., counseling, education, administrative device controls) to support the student's compliance.
• Refusal to comply with a staff member’s directive regarding cell phone use and/or repeated infractions beyond the 4th offense constitute insubordination and/or gross insubordination and will be addressed in accordance with the ACSD Code of Conduct. A cell phone policy violation becomes insubordination when a student willfully fails to follow a direct instruction from staff.

Elementary Level:

• First offense:  Verbal warning to return device to backpack.
• Second offense: The device will be confiscated and will be returned to the student at the end of the day upon parent/guardian request. 
• Third offense: The device will be confiscated and will be returned only to the parent/guardian. Student will engage in reflective activity (ie: write/present about the importance of following directions)
• Refusal to comply with a staff member’s directive regarding cell phone use constitutes insubordination and or gross insubordination and will be addressed in accordance with the ACSD Code of Conduct. A cell phone policy violation becomes insubordination when a student willfully fails to follow a direct instruction from staff.

Methods for Parents to Contact Students During the School Day
Parents/Guardians may call the school's main office, and the office staff can relay messages to the student or call the student to the office to speak with their parent/guardian.

• Amherst Central High School Main Office: 716-362-8100
• Amherst Middle School Main Office: 716-362-7100
• Smallwood Drive Elementary School Main Office: 716-362-2100
• Windermere Boulevard Elementary School Main Office: 716-362-4100

Parents/Guardians may drop off written notes at the school’s main office.

The school district will annually provide written notification of these methods for parents or those in parental relation to a student prior to the beginning of the school year and upon the enrollment of new students.

The school district will explore options for secure school messaging applications.

Methods for Students to Contact Parents/Guardians During the School Day
Students may use the phone in the Main Office, Attendance Office, Nurse’s Office, Student Services/Counseling Center or in the classroom (with teacher permission) to call a parent/guardian.

Student Training
All students will receive training through assemblies and/or classroom lessons about device storage, expectations, and consequences. Students will be reminded of the policy regularly and consistently, especially at the start of the school year and after returning from breaks. Students will be instructed on location of their locker and the use of a combination lock. Student peer-to-peer engagement regarding the policy will occur throughout the year at school activities and club meetings.

Educator Training
Teachers and staff are expected to apply and enforce this policy fairly for all students and consistently within each building. Teachers and staff should seek assistance, where needed, from administrators to implement this policy successfully. All staff will receive training during professional development days about the policy, enforcement and consequences, how to communicate with parents/guardians and how to model positive behavior with personal electronic devices away during instructional time.

Family Communication

• Once adopted by the Board of Education in August, Policy #7316 will be available online in the Board Docs policy manual and the Distraction-Free Schools webpage.
• Translations of the policy into the 12 most common non-English languages spoken by limited-English proficient individuals in the state will be provided, upon request, by a student or other persons in parental relation to a student.
• A Distraction-Free Schools webpage will be located on the District’s Parents/Students tab. Quick links on each building homepage will also lead to the webpage.
• All families, staff and students will receive information about the policy prior to the start of the 2025-26 school year and thereafter on an annual basis prior to the start of school. Communication channels will include email, student handbooks, school newsletters, district website, back to school packets, grade level orientations and school open houses.
• Upon enrollment and at the beginning of each school year, parents/guardians will be notified in writing of the communication methods that are available for contacting their student during school hours.
• A Distraction Free Schools information sheet will be included with Central Registration packets for new families.
• Informational programming for families and students will be conducted at various times in the school year regarding digital responsibility, anxiety/mental health, and behavioral change. An example might be Screen Sanity workshops that have been offered through the Family Support Center. 

Updated:
7/29/25
7/15/26

What is this law?
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s legislation to create a statewide standard for distraction free schools was approved May 6, 2025. Under this law, New York state schools are required to impose bell-to-bell restrictions on internet-enabled smart phones and devices capable of connecting to the Internet for grades K-12 starting with the 2025-26 school year. The Governor’s “More Learning, Less Scrolling” report includes findings related to cell phone impact on student learning, anxiety, mental health and safety.  This report guided the law now in place for schools to follow.

Is there a Board of Education policy that aligns with the legislation?
Current policy #7316 Student Use Of Personal Technology was updated to reflect the regulations outlined in the law. The updated policy is titled, “Use of Internet-Enabled Devices During the School Day”. It was approved by the Amherst Central School District Board of Education Aug. 1, 2025. The policy became effective Sept. 1, 2025 for the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

How does the district communicate this requirement to families?
We realize this continues to be a significant behavior shift for students and parents, particularly at the high school level. We want families to understand the policy and implementation plan so that they can assist their students with this transition. All families, staff and students will receive information about the policy and plan on an annual basis prior to the start of school. The district uses a variety of communication channels including email, student handbooks, school newsletters, district website, back to school packets, grade level orientations and school open houses. Students at all grade levels will receive information on the first day of school and throughout the school year.

How has the district engaged stakeholders in developing the policy?
Gov. Hochul’s legislation allows schools to engage with district stakeholders to assist in developing certain areas of the policy. The district established a 25-member committee of parents, students, teachers, Pupil Personnel Services staff, school principals, district administration, and Board of Education members to gather feedback from all parties impacted by the change. The district emailed all families to request parent and student volunteers to serve on the committee; 50 parents responded and 18 students. A random digitized selection process was done to select the five parent members and five student members (3 ACHS and 2 AMS). The committee met twice in June 2025 (June 4,  June 11)to develop a draft plan. Additional feedback was collected June 13-20, 2025 via a feedback survey emailed to all parents, staff and students to solicit comments on the draft plan. The committee reviewed the feedback survey results at the June 24, 2025 committee meeting and made recommendations to the final plan. The committee reconvened on June 23, 2026.

What does Policy #7316 limit?
During the school day (“bell-to-bell”) while on school grounds, students are prohibited from using personal Internet-enabled devices such as a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch or other device capable of connecting to the Internet and enabling the user to access content on the Internet including social media applications. Other device examples include, but are not limited to, laptop, fitbit, smart glasses or other wearable device, MP3 player, iPod, and iPad. It includes all devices capable of being connected to the internet. Students may not have continuous possession of their devices throughout the school day and the plan outlines the methods of storage.

Does this policy include school-issued devices?
No, school-issued Chromebook instructional devices are allowed.

What does bell-to-bell mean?
Bell-to-bell is the time from the first bell before homeroom/homebase to the last period dismissal bell. It includes all instructional and non-instructional times (ie. homeroom/homebase periods, lunch, recess, study halls, passing time). 

When will my child be able to check their cell phone messages? 
The policy covers bell-to-bell so your child can access a cell phone at the beginning of the day before the first bell and at the end of the day following the dismissal bell.

Will students be allowed to use cell phones on overnight trips and field trips? 
Use of cell phones during overnight trips and field trips is at the discretion of teacher/building administration.

Are students allowed to use wireless earbuds or headphones? 
Within school buildings, wired earbuds and/or headphones (which connect to a standard 3.5mm jack) may be used with teacher or administrative approval when connected to a district device. In classrooms, use is permitted solely for educational purposes with permission from the classroom teacher; in designated common areas or study periods, use must remain appropriate and aligned with each school's guidelines. Wireless earbuds are not permitted during the school day from bell to bell.

What if my child does not use his locker at the high school or even know where it is? 
The high school will provide information to students about locker locations and assistance to help them with using a combination lock, if they need it. All middle and high school students will visit lockers at the start of the school day to store their device and at the end of the day to retrieve it.

How will the policy be enforced and what are the consequences?The District is prohibited from suspending a student solely for accessing internet-enabled devices in violation of this policy. The District is allowed to develop disciplinary consequences for non-compliance regarding personal electronic devices which will be included in Building-Level Student Handbooks and the District Code of Conduct. Students will be reminded of the policy regularly and consistently, especially at the start of school and after returning from breaks. 

High and Middle School Level:

• First offense: The device will be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of the day.
• Second offense: The device will be confiscated and will be returned to the student at the end of the day and parent/guardian will be notified in writing. One detention will be assigned.
• Third offense: The device will be confiscated until the end of the day. Parent/guardian may be required to pick up the device. Two detentions will be assigned. Student will be required to turn device in to the office upon entry for the next three school days. Parent/guardian will be notified in writing of the offense and this expectation.
• Fourth offense: The device will be confiscated and will be locked in a central location daily for a period of up to 5 weeks. Student will be issued one day of ISS. Parent will be notified in writing of this expectation and may be required to pick up the device. Further infractions may result in daily phone lock-up for up to an additional 5 weeks. The student may also be required to participate in restorative practice activities. In the event a student exhibits a pattern of repeated and persistent violations of this policy, administrators will facilitate a meeting with the student and the student's parent(s) or person(s) in parental relation to discuss: the objectives and expectations of this policy, the contributing causes of the student's challenges in complying with the policy, and measures the District and the student's family can take (e.g., counseling, education, administrative device controls) to support the student's compliance.
• Refusal to comply with a staff member’s directive regarding cell phone use and/or repeated infractions beyond the 4th offense constitute insubordination and/or gross insubordination and will be addressed in accordance with the ACSD Code of Conduct. A cell phone policy violation becomes insubordination when a student willfully fails to follow a direct instruction from staff. 

Elementary Level:

• First offense:  Verbal warning to return device to backpack. 
• Second offense: The device will be confiscated and will be returned to the student at the end of the day upon parent/guardian request. 
• Third offense: The device will be confiscated and will be returned only to the parent/guardian. Student will engage in reflective activity (ie: write/present about the importance of following directions)
• Refusal to comply with a staff member’s directive regarding cell phone use constitutes insubordination and or gross insubordination and will be addressed in accordance with the ACSD Code of Conduct; a cell phone policy violation becomes insubordination when a student willfully fails to follow a direct instruction from staff.

How can parents contact their child during the school day? 
Parents or persons in parental relation may call the school's main office. The office staff can relay messages to the student or call the student to the office to speak with their parent or person in parental relation. The school district will notify parents in writing of the communication protocol at the beginning of each school year and upon enrollment.

Amherst Central High School Main Office: 716-362-8100
Amherst Middle School Main Office: 716-362-7100
Smallwood Drive Elementary School Main Office: 716-362-2100
Windermere Boulevard Elementary School Main Office: 716-362-4100

How can a student contact a parent during the school day?
To contact a parent, students may use the phone in the Main Office, Attendance Office, Nurses Office for any medical issues, Student Services/Counseling Office and in the classroom (with teacher permission). 

Will teachers and staff be using cell phones during the school day? 
The policy is for student use of personal electronic devices. Teachers and staff members will model positive behavior with personal electronic devices away during instructional time, unless being used for instructional purposes.

Will I be able to contact my child if there is a school-wide emergency?
During a school-wide emergency, no outside communication between students and parents is allowed, as this could compromise the safety of students and staff. In an emergency situation, building administrators will follow District and Building Level Safety Plans. The focus is on keeping all students safe and working with law enforcement or emergency responders. Students are expected to listen, without distraction, to directions from teachers/building administration during an emergency. The District will notify parents, when it is safe to do so, in an emergency situation.

District Safety Plans implemented during emergencies, depending on the threat level, can include:

• Shelter in Place: used to shelter students and staff inside the building while instruction continues
• Hold-In-Place: used to limit movement of students and staff while dealing with short term emergencies while instruction continues
• Evacuate: used to evacuate students and staff from the building
• Secure Lockout: used to secure building and grounds during incidents that post an imminent concern outside of school, while instruction continues
• Lockdown: used to secure school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose an immediate threat of violence in or around the school

With permitted exceptions, can students still be required to store their devices throughout the day or will they be allowed to use their phone however they want because of their exception? 
Even if a student demonstrates a need for an exception to the law, they may still be required to store their devices during the day. The law says the policy may authorize student use of an internet-enabled device for specific reasons: a specific educational purpose, where necessary for the management of a student's healthcare, in an emergency, for translation services, on a case-by-case basis for the care and wellbeing of a family member, or where required by law. These exceptions do not automatically provide students unrestricted access to devices throughout the entire day.

Will the Student Handbooks include information about Distraction-Free Schools? 
Yes. Parents and students should read those documents.

What proactive measures are in place at the secondary level to inform students and to reduce policy violations? 
All students will receive training through assemblies and/or classroom lessons about device storage, expectations, and consequences. The video series created in 2025 will be shared with students and families. Students will be reminded of the policy regularly and consistently, especially at the start of the school year and after returning from breaks. Students will be instructed on location of their locker and the use of a combination lock. Student peer-to-peer engagement regarding the policy will occur throughout the year at school activities and club meetings.

Are there state reporting requirements related to Policy #7316? 
Yes. Starting Sept. 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the district is required to publish a report on its website detailing enforcement of this policy within the District in the prior school year. The report will include non-identifiable demographic data of students who have faced disciplinary action for non-compliance and analysis of any demographic disparities in enforcement of the policy.

Updated: 7/15/26

All students are encouraged to leave their devices at home. Students may not have continuous possession of their devices throughout the school day.

Middle and High School devices must be turned off and stored in a locked locker during the entire school day (from homeroom/homebase bell through dismissal bell).

All students are encouraged to leave their devices at home. Students may not have continuous possession of their devices throughout the school day.

Elementary devices must be turned off and stored in student’s backpacks placed in cubbies and/or lockers during the school day. At the elementary level, it is strongly recommended that internet-enabled devices be left home.