How Michigan school districts regulate student cellphone use

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:06:00 +0200

Researchers from the University of Michigan analyzed cellphone policies across 779 Michigan school districts during the 2025-26 school year to understand how schools were handling student smartphone use before a new statewide ban takes effect in August 2026. Their data covered 95% of publicly funded traditional and charter districts and showed that nearly all districts already had some kind of policy in place. About half used bell-to-bell restrictions that prohibit phones for the entire school day, while the other half used schedule-based rules that mainly ban phones during instructional time.

The study also found that districts differ widely in how they enforce restrictions. The most common approach was the “no show” model, in which students must keep phones out of sight, followed by locker storage, classroom collection, centralized collection by staff, and lockable pouches. Policy choices also varied by district type and location: charter and urban districts were more likely to adop