Newark students head back to class as district rolls out cellphone ban

On the first day of the 2026-27 school year, Newark Public Schools Superintendent Roger León toured elementary schools across the city, emphasizing the importance of students arriving on time. The district's chronic absenteeism rate had dropped to 8.5% during the 2025-26 school year. This year, 43,200 students will experience some changes, including a bell-to-bell cellphone ban and newly elected school board members.

León's strategy, known as "The Next Decade: 2020-30," aims to improve student achievement, enhance literacy and writing skills, and boost enrollment in advanced classes. The new statewide cellphone ban, piloted at several schools last year, is expected to help students stay focused and improve academically. Meanwhile, Newark families and teachers have expressed concerns about increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence in the city.

León assured parents and students that counseling is available for immigration-related concerns, and the district has a section on immigration resources on its website. Ethan, a fifth-grader, is excited to work on his reading skills, while his grandfather worries about negative influences in the city. Bard High School Early College is sharing a building with New Media High School's inaugural ninth-grade class, which aims to train students in camera operation, production, and direction, as part of the district's focus on specialized career-focused high school programs.