5 Bergen County School Districts Just Won NJ Grants To Lock Up Kids' Phones All Day

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Tired of the distractions, some New Jersey school districts have instituted a policy to lock up students' cell phones during the day. Now, the state of New Jersey is helping them out with grants.

The state announced on Thursday that it's giving "Phone-Free Grant Program" money to districts across the Garden State, including five in Bergen County.

The local districts winning awards are:

• Alpine, $1,000
• Bergen Arts and Science Charter School, Garfield, $5,489
• Englewood, $12,910.48
• Ramsey, $10,730
• Wallington, $5,015

The grants apply to districts planning to implement a "bell-to-bell" policy of locking up the phones all day, for grades 6-12.

The policies must be consistent with state guidelines applying to internet devices on school grounds. The guidelines cover everything from age-appropriate materials to exceptions to access guidelines when there's a medical reason.

Devices can go in locked pouches or in locked containers in classrooms, the guidelines note.

The state said, "A bell-to-bell policy must ensure that 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 receive funds to implement secure storage systems such as lockers, locked pouch systems, or check-in cabinets. Districts may also use funding to provide staff training to ensure consistent and equitable application."

“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. If we want to provide New Jersey’s children with a world-class education, we need to give schools the tools necessary to remove...distractions,” said Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer said of a report issued by the Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents.

The grants are funded through a $3 million appropriation that was part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Act. Approximately $980,000 was allocated in this round, but the state Board of Education plans to award more during another funding round, they said.