Phones would be off and stored all day, every grade

What happened

On the September 22, 2026 agenda the board is asked to replace its old device rules with a revised Policy 5516 and a new Regulation 5516, Student Use of Internet-Enabled Devices. Students in every grade would be barred from using an internet-enabled device on school grounds during the school day; grades 6 through 12 would store phones during the day, including in locked pouches handed back at dismissal; and students in kindergarten through grade 5 could not use even a basic non-internet phone. Classroom time must be entirely free of personal devices and teachers may not build personal phones into lessons.

Why it matters to families

This changes the school day for every East Orange student and for parents who are used to texting their child. Families are told to call the school office instead, and the office passes the message on. Eight exceptions stay open, including an IEP, a 504 plan, a doctor-backed health plan, translation, a student caring for a family member, and emergencies, and a parent can ask in writing for an accommodation and must get an answer within five school days.

The evidence

The September 22, 2026 board agenda carries the full text of revised Policy 5516 and new Regulation 5516, lists Policy 2363 on privately owned technology as abolished, and records the district's recommendation that the board suspend Bylaw 0131, which normally requires two readings, so the rules are in place for September 2026. The regulation sets separate rules for K-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. The district had already paid up to $18,000 in April 2026 for Phone-Free Schools cellphone ban training for staff, funded by a cellphone grant.

The source