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Gov. Pritzker Signs 'Bell-to-Bell' School Cellphone Ban Into Law
Districts must set storage rules and allow exceptions for medical and educational needs under the new policy, which takes effect by the 2027-28 school year.
- On Tuesday, Governor JB Pritzker signed SB 2427 at Elgin High School, requiring Illinois public schools to implement statewide policies banning personal cellphones during the school day.
- Pritzker stated the law aims to restrict "the disruption that smartphones create throughout the school day," citing Pew Research data where 72% of high school teachers identified phone distraction as a major problem.
- Districts must implement 'bell-to-bell' policies by the 2027-2028 academic year, though the law mandates exceptions for medical needs, Individualized Education Plans, 504 plans, and student caregivers.
- To prevent disproportionate impacts on underserved students, the legislation prohibits schools from enforcing these bans through fines, suspensions, expulsions, or deployment of police and school resource officers.
- By September 1, 2026, the Illinois State Board of Education will release a template policy to guide districts, joining at least 35 other states with similar restrictions.
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25 Articles
25 Articles
·Springfield, United States
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Pritzker Signs School Cellphone Ban In Effort to Avoid Student Distractions
<span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Pritzker Signs School Cellphone Ban In Effort to Avoid Student Distractions</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Peter Hancock …</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-07-28T16:43:05-05:00" title="Tuesday, July 28, 2026 - 16:43" class=…
·Chicago, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources25
Leaning Left3Leaning Right3Center17Last UpdatedBias Distribution74% Center
Bias Distribution
- 74% of the sources are Center
74% Center
13%
C 74%
13%
Factuality
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