The deadline for schools to submit plans on how they will implement the cellphone ban was due Friday, Aug. 1

The days of sneaking a text under a classroom desk are over. Cellphones will be banned in all New York City public and charter schools this school year.

It's part of a distraction-free law for schools that was passed by Gov. Kathy Hochul earlier this year. The purpose is to limit distractions in the classroom and direct students' attention to their teachers.

The rule also applies to tablets, smartwatches and any internet-enabled personal device.

AECI I Charter School has implemented this policy for five years.

"Before we started this policy, students would refuse to give up their phones. Since we implemented the program, it took time, slowly, they've been more compliant and recognize the importance of not having the phone during the day," said Healy.

Healy says each student is given a pouch at the start of the school year that they take home with them.

"Every student is given a pouch, they put their cellphone in the pouch when they enter, we don't take their cellphones, they hold onto their cellphones for the whole day in the pouch, so they can't access it. When they leave, they tap it against the magnet and that opens the pouch," said Colin Healy, principal of AECI I Charter School.

Legacy College Prep in Melrose is taking a similar route.

"We wanted to make sure students felt comfortable with the system, and so the pouch allows them to have the phone on them throughout the school day, they never do not have their phone with them, but the phone is locked inside of the pouch so they are not tempted to use them like in the bathroom or something like that," said Summer Schneider, executive director at Legacy College Prep Charter School.

Schneider says after the COVID-19 pandemic, they noticed students had become accustomed to using their phone all day long while at home during virtual learning.

"When they came back to school it was a struggle for students to regain focus inside the classroom," said Schneider.

The law requires all schools to have an emergency plan in place where kids and parents can contact each other. There are also exceptions for students with learning disabilities or health conditions who need their devices.

The state is setting aside $13.5 million in funding for schools to purchase storage for the phones.

"We are thankful the state is implementing a policy statewide...now, we are able to get a little bit of funding to help our school maintain our Yonder pouch system," said Schneider.