Will this be the year the state legislature approves a cellphone ban in schools?

SPRINGFIELD — After the Latin School of Chicago passed a cellphone ban, students, who typically would be glued to their phones on their way to class, looked up, interacted with their peers and were more immersed in school, officials said.

The Latin School of Chicago first restricted cellphone use for the 2024-25 school year, and a year later, revised it to a total ban during school hours. Since then, students recognize increased engagement, both during instructional time and breaks.

“I’m grateful for the phone ban. I’ll take a more-connected community over the minor conveniences of a cellphone any day,” Scarlet Gitelson, the editor-in-chief of the student-run paper The Forum, said in an op-ed.

As the Illinois legislature once again considers a statewide cellphone ban in schools, it looks to success stories like the Latin School to propose a bill aimed at addressing mental health and enhancing student success.

A push to regulate in Illinois

Illinois is one of only eight states that have no statewide restrictions on the use of cellphones in public schools.

An amendment to Senate Bill 2427, which passed the Illinois House Education Committee unanimously on March 25, would require all Illinois public and charter schools to adopt policies restricting student use of cellphones, tablets and other devices during class time.

The bill still needs approval from the full House, where it’s not subject to a Friday deadline for final action, because a previous version already passed the Senate 55-0 last year. Because it was amended in the House, however, the Senate will need to approve the amended version before it can head to Gov. JB Pritzker, who’s been pushing for the measure for two years.

“There’s real harm being done, and it’s interfering with our ability to give children the most productive educational environment possible. It’s time to get cellphones out of the classroom,” Pritzker said in his February State of the State speech.

The line drew bipartisan applause.

Under the bill, elementary and middle schools would be required to implement a bell-to-bell ban while high schools could allow their students to use their devices during lunch and breaks. The policy for high schools would vary according to school district.

Read more: Lawmakers advance Pritzker’s cell phone ban, social media regulations

Last year, the bill didn’t receive a House vote due to concerns about enforcement and exceptions.

The revised version includes a list of exceptions, including medical necessity, individualized education programs and for English learners accessing materials. It also limits disciplinary actions, such as suspension or expulsion. And it prohibits enforcement through fines, fees or law enforcement action.

If the bill is passed and signed by the governor, policies would need to be implemented by the 2027-28 school year. But school districts that already have cellphone restrictions in place have until 2030-31 to ensure their policies conform with state requirements.

Prioritizing academic success

Currently, 42 states and Washington, D.C., have laws or policies that either prohibit or limit student cellphone use, or require individual districts to either ban or limit their use.

“There are a lot of different states that have introduced this bill, and I think it is passed with a broad bipartisan support because they recognize the importance of banning these devices with some exceptions, of course, so that way students are successful,” said Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin.

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These policies, though varied by state, are aimed at improving focus and reducing bullying.

According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 72% of high school teachers say phone distractions are a major problem, compared to 33% of middle school teachers and 6% of elementary school teachers.

These distractions are proven to negatively impact student success and mental health. A 2023 survey of adolescents showed that 51% reported using social media for more than three hours per day. Social media use by adolescents is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Social media use has become a major issue among adolescents, with thousands of lawsuits alleging that addictive platform designs harm children’s mental health. In a landmark court ruling in late March, Meta and YouTube were found liable on all counts of using addictive design features that harmed young users and created mental health problems.

Cellphone use is also linked to cyberbullying. According to KFF, nine in 10 public schools reported instances of cyberbullying in the 2023-24 school year. Cyberbullying can lead to emotional distress, depression and suicidal ideation. It’s also more likely to be experienced by females and LGBT+ adolescents.

“I think taking as many distractions off the table for students will allow them to focus on their studies as well as their teachers and professors in the classroom,” Castro said. “So they get their undivided attention, and it’ll have great student success outcomes.”

How are bell-to-bell bans implemented?

A cellphone ban would require devices to be placed in “secure and accessible” storage, like backpacks, desk storage, lockers or pouches. Although the bill does not require districts to purchase additional storage options, some teachers unions worry about costs for implementation, or added responsibility to teachers.

“Schools already have the authority to set cellphone policies, but what they cannot do is fund themselves or the cellphone lockers or pockets that will be required to enforce this unfunded mandate,” the Illinois Federation of Teachers said in a news release. The union represents 105,000 teachers and paraprofessionals throughout Illinois.

Peoria’s District 150, which already has a policy restricting cellphone use, spent $250,000 on Yondr pouches.

Yondr bags lock automatically when the top is snapped together, and they can only be unlocked when tapped against a magnetic base. They typically cost between $20 and $30 per student.

To assist with implementing the policy, a number of states with similar legislation offered grants. For example, New York allocated $13.5 million in funding for the implementation of its ban, specifically for lockable pouches.

Illinois’ bill does not allocate funds for implementation.

“Only the governor can ultimately meet the state’s funding obligation,” said Cindi Oberle-Dahm, executive vice president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

Sam Freeman is a graduate student in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications, and is a fellow in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.