Overview
- Illinois lawmakers approved Senate Bill 2427 and sent it to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has signaled he will sign the measure and moved its start to the 2027–28 school year.
- The Illinois bill requires K–12 districts to bar students from using personal wireless devices for the full school day, exempts school-issued devices, and allows limits for high school lunch and passing periods.
- The measure includes carve-outs for medically necessary devices and students with Individualized Education Programs or English-learner needs, obliges districts to publish policies and gives the State Board a template while providing no dedicated state funding for storage or enforcement.
- Pennsylvania’s House approved its bell-to-bell restriction by a 126–75 vote and sent the bill to the state Senate where final approval is pending.
- Early practical and research findings diverge: New York teacher surveys report stronger engagement and less bullying after a year of bans, while national studies including an NBER analysis show clear drops in phone use but only mixed or minimal gains in test scores and attendance, raising questions about costs, discipline equity, and local implementation.