Gov. JB Pritzker is renewing his push to ban students from using cell phones in Illinois schools, aiming to improve student performance and protect children’s mental health.
The governor is backing proposed legislation to require all public school districts and charter schools in Illinois to develop policies limiting the use of cell phones and other wireless devices – such as tablets, smartwatches, laptops, and gaming devices – on school grounds throughout the entire 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.
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.
"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 cell phones out of the classroom," Pritzker said in prepared remarks for his annual State of the State address.
The proposed ban would provide exceptions for emergencies or response to an imminent threat, for cases when a medical professional deems a wireless device is necessary to manage a student’s health, if devices are needed as part of a student’s individualized education program, to help students for whom English is a second language, or when a student Is a caregiver responsible for the wellbeing of a family member.
Schools would be allowed to provide high school students access to their phones during their lunch period, or when a teacher has authorized students to use a phone or tablet for educational purposes.
The legislation would prohibit schools from enforcing their cell phone bans through fines, fees, suspensions, expulsions, ticketing, or deployment of police officers or school resource officers.
Schools would be required to set up guidelines for storing students’ cell phones during the school day to prevent use, loss, or theft.
Districts also would be required to get input from teachers, administrators, and parents before setting policies, and would be encouraged to seek student input as well.
Region: Chicago,Politics,City: Chicago
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February 18, 2026 at 12:09PM
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