School cellphone ban is designed to help students focus

Jon Noll, NPR Illinois

A soon-to-be new law requires that all public and charter schools have a “bell to bell” policy that bans the use of cellphones and other electronic devices during class time.

The policy change, which would take effect at the start of the 2027-2028 school year, passed the legislature this spring. It is billed as a way to minimize student distractions. It also follows years of frustration among educators who must compete with screens for students’ attention.

The bill would ban cell phone use in elementary and middle schools throughout the school day but give districts the option of restricting high school use only during instruction time.

While maintaining student focus has been a challenge for years, the rise of technology has exacerbated the problem.

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