Illinois cell phone ban for public schools passes; lawmakers send it to Pritzker for signature

Could banning cell phones make Illinois classrooms better places to learn? State lawmakers are betting on it, sending a bill to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk to do exactly that.

Senate Bill 2427 will impact K-12 students at Illinois' roughly 850 public school districts starting with the 2027-2028 school year. Gov. Pritzker has supported the bill and said it the ban will enhance learning across the state.

"We're giving children more classroom focus and better education by banning kids' use of cell phones during the school day," the governor said Monday.

The legislation amends the current school code to require a "bell-to-bell" ban on cell phones for K-8 students. High school students get more flexibility during lunch and passing periods.

The ban does not include school-issued devices used for education purposes, and includes some notable exceptions including cell phone usage related to medical needs, education plans, English learner support and student caregivers.

For enforcement, penalties cannot include fees, fines, suspensions, expulsions or police involvement.

According to the governor's office, a recent study by Pew Research found that 72% of high school teachers identified cell phone distraction as a major problem in classrooms.

"You know, teachers want to spend their time teaching, not competing with TikTok," said Hal Woods, chief of policy for Kids First Chicago.

Woods said he's optimistic the ban might remove some stress, social pressure and distractions during the school day.

Pritzker backed a similar ban last year that would have only banned the use of wireless devices during classroom instruction. That measure was unanimously approved by the Illinois Senate, but stalled in the Illinois House.

Woods noted the new law mandates that schools adopt phone storage guidelines, but doesn't say what that storage should look like and doesn't cover any storage-related costs.

"I do think there's going to be a question around cost, you know, for districts, particularly the size of like Chicago Public Schools, right, where you've got 315,000 students and over 100 high schools, for example," he said.

At least 35 states and Washington, D.C., have signed or already enacted laws or policies regarding student cell phone use in K-12 classrooms.

In Illinois, Glenbrook High School District 225 implemented its own cell phone ban already for several years, and said they have seen success.

Classrooms inside Glenbrook Southa and Glenbrook North high schools require students to put their phones inside numbered caddies and if you don't, they mark you absent.

Some students said their concentration has improved with the ban. And school officials said while it took some adjustment, students have adapted well to the policy.