Michigan Lawmakers Advance Responsible, Flexible Approach to Limiting Cell Phone Use in Schools

Michigan has taken significant steps toward restoring focus, safety, and academic excellence in K–12 education. With broad bipartisan support, the Legislature recently advanced House Bill 4141, requiring schools to adopt enforceable policies that restrict student cell‑phone use during instructional time. This measure was paired with Senate Bill 495, strengthening the overall device‑restriction framework by directing schools to establish clear protocols for when students may access their phones during emergencies.

Notably, the legislative package has now cleared a major hurdle. Because HB 4141 and SB 495 are tie‑barred, neither measure can take effect unless both are enacted into law. With each bill approved by both chambers and headed to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk for approval, Michigan is positioned to reshape statewide policy on student device use in schools.

Michigan’s efforts closely align with ALEC’s model policy Limiting Student Use of Cell Phones in K–12 Classrooms — one of the ALEC Essential Policy Solutions for 2026. Like Michigan’s proposed legislation, the ALEC framework establishes a minimum statewide requirement for all school districts to adopt policies limiting the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time. This balanced approach promotes consistency across the state without imposing a rigid, one‑size‑fits‑all mandate, while providing necessary exemptions—such as accommodations for students with IEPs or documented health needs, such as diabetes management.

It is critical that parents, educators, and school board members have sufficient input and buy-in when considering which cell phone policy works best for their unique communities. By pairing clear statewide standards with local flexibility, local districts, working alongside families and educators, could decide to pursue stricter measures, such as a full “bell‑to‑bell” ban, or to allow limited device use during lunch or passing periods. Schools that lack 1:1 device programs could also empower teachers to permit supervised, temporary use of personal phones for academic purposes.

The momentum behind Michigan’s bills reflects a growing national recognition that smartphones in the classroom often erode student attention spans, dampen academic performance, and frustrate educators. As of January 2026, at least 38 states have adopted laws or policies requiring local school entities to ban or restrict student cell phone use in public K–12 classrooms, with nearly two dozen of those measures enacted in 2025 alone.

Although the complete impact of such new public policies is still unknown, some early research suggests that enforcement of cell phone restrictions could result in academic performance gains down the road. The National Bureau of Economic Research published a study finding that student test scores increased by 1.1 percentiles on average in the second year of implementation. As state legislators, school administrators, and concerned parents grapple with the impacts of personal cell phones in schools on academic performance, Michigan’s bipartisan effort is a thoughtful, community‑driven roadmap for reform.