Five Morris County School Districts Receive Grants to Implement Phone-Free School Days

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ - Five school districts in Morris County are among 86 districts statewide approved to receive funding through the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) Phone-Free Schools Grant Program, a state initiative aimed at restricting student cell phone use during the school day in grades 6 through 12.

The grants will help participating districts implement a “bell-to-bell” policy requiring students to securely store cell phones and other internet-enabled devices upon arrival at school, with no access permitted until dismissal. The program is aimed at reducing classroom distractions and promoting more consistent learning environments across middle and high 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. If we want to provide New Jersey’s children with a world-class education, we need to give schools the tools necessary to remove the very distractions that rob students of their attention and their concentration,” said Governor Murphy.

According to NJDOE, the Phone-Free Schools Grant Program is funded through a $3 million appropriation in the Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Act. Approximately $980,000 has been awarded in this initial round, with additional funding rounds planned to expand participation to more districts.

Morris County districts approved for funding

The following Morris County school districts were approved for grant awards, with funding amounts based on enrollment and program needs:

• Chester Township School District – $2,696.84

• Hanover Park Regional High School District – $10,046.46

• Hanover Township School District – $3,280.00

• Kinnelon School District – $6,988.18

• Mendham Borough School District – $1,282.54

Districts may use the grant funding to purchase secure phone storage systems, including lockers, locked pouches, or centralized check-in cabinets. Funds may also be used for staff training to support consistent and equitable enforcement of the bell-to-bell policies.

Statewide policy goals

Under state guidelines, a bell-to-bell phone-free policy requires that devices be secured for the duration of the instructional day, including lunch periods and passing time between classes. NJDOE officials said the program is intended to provide districts with the resources needed to implement these policies without placing additional financial burdens on local school budgets.

The department also noted that consistent enforcement is a key component of the initiative, with training support intended to help staff apply the policies uniformly across classrooms and grade levels.

“The findings from the Growing Up Online report underscore why this initiative matters, including rising concerns about social media’s impact on adolescent mental health, sleep disruption, cyberbullying, and declining academic focus,” Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer said of the report issued by the Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents.

NJDOE plans to open a future funding round to allow additional districts to participate in the program. A full list of approved districts and award amounts is available on the department’s website.

For Morris County schools, the grants represent a state-supported step toward formalizing phone-free school environments as districts continue to navigate student technology use, classroom management, and evolving educational priorities.

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