SPRINGFIELD — After falling short last year, Illinois lawmakers gave final approval Sunday to a measure that would prohibit students from using cellphones throughout the day at most public and charter schools.

The measure, approved in the state House in April, next heads to the desk of Gov. JB Pritzker, who made the issue a top priority during the past two spring legislative sessions. The state Senate last year approved a less restrictive version without opposition, but it was never taken up in the House.

“Every parent and educator knows the damage that unchecked screen time and social media can do to our children and how disruptive they can be in school,” Pritzker said in a statement Sunday shortly after the Senate vote. “The bipartisan support for this effort reflects the urgency educators and families across Illinois feel.”

Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, every public and charter school district without an existing phone policy will be required to institute a “bell-to-bell” ban for elementary and middle school students. High school students may use phones during lunch or breaks at each district’s discretion. Districts may also permit phone use during emergencies or for educational purposes.

Last year’s version, which only required phones to be banned during class time, was met with some opposition in the House vote from lawmakers who raised concerns about the potential for unfair and uneven enforcement, said Democratic Rep. Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg, the main House sponsor.

“Teachers are frustrated that they’re having to police students over their phones. Students are distracted by their phones. All of the research I’ve seen shows this is going to help them focus, cut down on bullying and lead to a better school environment.” Mussman said.

But many of those concerns were addressed through a series of amendments. The version awaiting Pritzker’s signature prohibits fines, fees, the involvement of local police or school resource officers, and suspensions or expulsions as enforcement tools. It includes mandatory exceptions for students with medical needs, individualized education programs or primary caregiving responsibilities for a family member. If a phone breaks, schools and teachers are not liable as long as the device was stored in “good faith” and in accordance with district policies.

The legislation’s passage comes amid a national reckoning over phone use in schools, as administrators and parents increasingly argue that phones are a major distraction from learning.

Jessica Handy, executive director of the education advocacy group Stand for Children, said phones prevent students from being fully engaged in the classroom and lead to a less lively school environment.

“It is a huge distraction when kids have their phones with them,” Handy said. “Even if they’re not actively using their phone, but their phone is making noise and beeping, and … they can tell that it’s there. It has a big impact on their ability to learn.”

Many Illinois school districts have already implemented their own phone bans. At the start of the school year, Hinsdale High School District 86 and Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 began requiring students store their devices in a cellphone holder or another designated location during class. Glenbrook High School District 225 banned phones during class in 2024, while the Champaign Unit 4 School District implemented the stricter bell-to-bell ban that same year. Districts like Hinsdale and Glenbrook with existing policies that differ from the statewide ban would be allowed to keep them until the 2030-31 school year.

Research on the effectiveness of phone bans varies. A study by the RAND Corp. found that an urban Florida school district saw test scores and attendance improve within two years of implementing a ban. But an April report from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that phone bans had little to no effect on academic achievement, perceived bullying or attendance. A 2026 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that even in schools with restrictions, students still spend more than an hour on their phones during the school day on average.

The proposed Illinois ban mandates districts adopt phone storage guidelines but doesn’t outline what those guidelines should look like.

Safely storing every student’s phone during the school day can come at a high cost. Several districts in Illinois that have already banned phones have opted for Yondr pouches, a popular magnetic-locking phone storage device, which can cost between $20 to $25 per student, depending on school size and order volume, Yondr spokesperson Liz Baker said in a February email.

Elgin-based School District U-46 spent more than $170,000 last year on 6,625 pouches and the accompanying 120 magnetic bases needed to lock and unlock them. Those same pouches cost the Danville School District $70,000 in 2025 and Peoria Public Schools nearly $250,000 the year before.

Mussman said in February that free or lower-cost alternatives are available, including storing phones in schools’ existing lockers.

Upon Pritzker’s signature, Illinois will have joined more than 30 other states that ban or limit the use of phones during school.