Cellphone policies under review in school districts after new laws ban them from classrooms

OTTAWA COUNTY — Ottawa County school administrators are evaluating local policies this week following a new state mandate aimed at severing the digital connection between students and their smartphones during school hours.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the bipartisan package — House Bill 4141 and Senate Bill 495 — into law on Tuesday, Feb. 10. The legislation establishes a minimum standard requiring all public and charter school districts in Michigan to prohibit personal smartphone use in the classroom starting in the 2026-27 academic year, according to a news release.

For many Ottawa County districts, the state’s intervention provides a formal legal framework for a transition that local leaders have already begun to navigate.

In the West Ottawa Public Schools district, officials say that the new law largely mirrors current practices.

“We already have policies in place consistent with this legislation and don't anticipate any changes, but we will review the language of the law and make sure our existing policies align,” said Superintendent Tim Bearden.

Although the mandate sets a baseline for "instructional time," it grants local boards the flexibility to determine how devices are stored — whether in lockers, classroom bins or magnetic pouches. It also permits the use of "basic phones" lacking internet browsers to address parental concerns regarding communication, the governor’s office said.

At Spring Lake Public Schools, Superintendent Dennis M. Furton indicated that the district is already well-positioned to meet the state's new requirements, though some administrative adjustments remain.

“Our current policy is fully compliant with the new restrictions on c/r access of cell phones,” Furton said. “We will need to update our plans with regard to crisis planning, as required, but we are pretty much set.”

The crisis planning Furton referenced is a key component of the legislative package. Senate Bill 495 specifically requires districts to update their emergency operations plans to include clear protocols for phone use during situations such as lockdowns or fires.

Bipartisan support

Proponents of the legislation have pointed to the "addictive" nature of social media algorithms and cited concerns over rising rates of anxiety, depression, and cyberbullying linked to excessive phone use.

“Ending phone use during class time is common sense and is a step we need to take to fight back against addictive evolving technology that prevents kids from reaching their full potential,” Whitmer said.

Early data from Michigan districts that already implemented local bans showed increased student engagement, higher participation, and even a reduction in physical fights.

The law provides a "statewide backstop," making it easier for administrators to enforce rules and handle parental pushback by citing state law rather than just local policy.

Bob Kefgen, director of government relations at the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, said he is “grateful” for the bill’s passage. The ban becoming law, he said, will provide needed “uniformity” statewide, and help administrators deal with pushback from parents who are upset with their kids’ being disciplined for using phones in school.

The legislation passed with bipartisan support in both chambers; it passed on a 99-10 vote in the House and 34-1 in the Senate, with only Michele Hoitenga (R-Manton) opposing it.

State Rep. Mark Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, the primary sponsor of the House bill, said that the goal was to support teachers who have spent years competing with social media for student attention.

“The science is in, the research is done, smartphones in classrooms are a disruption,” Tisdel said in a prepared statement. “We’ve got to give kids their childhood back.”

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.well-positioned