Belmar Elementary School Gets State Grant To Lock Up Kids' Cell Phones During Day

BELMAR, NJ — Belmar Elementary School is one of 86 school districts across the state that just received grants from the NJ Dept. of Education to become a "cell phone free-school."

The DOE announced the grants Thursday, Dec. 18. Belmar Elementary School received $1,000 to put the policy into place in 2026.

The grants will help the school districts implement "a bell-to-bell cell phone ban policy for all students in grades 6-12," said the NJ DOE.

A "bell-to-bell" policy means students’ cell phones and other internet-enabled devices are securely stored when students arrive at school, and access is not allowed during the entire school day. Participating districts will use the grant money to purchase lockers, locked pouch systems or check-in cabinets for students' phones.

Gov. Phil Murphy said he supports cell phone bans in schools.

“In recent years, we’ve begun to truly understand the threat that cell phones and access to social media pose to our children’s education," the governor said this week. “Getting cell phones out of schools helps educators, it helps parents, and most of all, it helps our kids. I am proud of the leadership shown by these early-adopting districts."

The grants are funded through a $3 million appropriation in the Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Act. The DOE intends to launch another funding round to expand to additional districts.

The list of all 86 school districts that received grants for this is available on the NJDOE’s website.