Michigan Governor Signs Statewide Law Restricting Smartphone Use in Public Schools
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has officially signed into law a comprehensive statewide measure that restricts smartphone usage during instructional time in public schools. This formal policy shift, which emerged from months of bipartisan negotiations in the Michigan Legislature, will take full effect at the beginning of the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
Key Provisions of the New Legislation
The legislation mandates that all public school districts across Michigan must implement policies limiting smartphone use specifically during classroom instruction periods. However, students will still be permitted to carry their phones on school campuses. The law represents a significant alignment with a growing national trend, as Michigan joins approximately three dozen other states that have adopted similar classroom technology restrictions.
During the bill signing ceremony at Waverly High School, Governor Whitmer emphasized that smartphones "impede a student's ability to learn" and create substantial distractions during educational lessons. The Associated Press reported her comments highlighting the educational rationale behind the policy change.
What Changes Under the New Statute
Students will be prohibited from using smartphones during instructional time, though they may access their devices between classes, during lunch periods, and in other non-instructional settings. The law permits students to carry basic mobile phones capable of making calls and sending text messages, but devices with social media or internet browsing capabilities will face restrictions during class hours.
Each individual school district will determine how strictly these rules are enforced and develop specific procedures for device storage and monitoring during the school day. The legislation applies exclusively to public school districts, meaning private and parochial schools are not covered by these requirements.
All districts must publish their complete cellphone policies online and clearly outline enforcement procedures. Notably, the legislation does not specify penalties for districts that fail to comply with these requirements.
Exceptions and Emergency Protocols
The statute includes important exceptions for medically necessary devices that operate through smartphones, such as glucose monitors for diabetic students. District-owned devices designated specifically for instructional purposes are also permitted under the new regulations.
A companion measure sponsored by State Senator Dayna Polehanki requires schools to establish clear protocols governing smartphone use during emergency situations, including active shooter scenarios or bomb threats. Schools must develop specific guidelines clarifying when and how students may access their devices during such critical incidents.
Polehanki emphasized that the law "places the authority of state statute behind a standard many educators already support" in their classrooms.
A Bipartisan Legislative Compromise
The policy emerged from separate proposals advanced by the Democratic-led Senate and the Republican-led House of Representatives. Lawmakers reached a significant compromise earlier this year to create what supporters describe as a baseline statewide standard for classroom technology management.
State Representative Mark Tisdel, a Republican from Rochester Hills who sponsored the House version of the legislation, explained that the goal was to establish a consistent framework while allowing individual districts flexibility in implementation. He added that lawmakers could revisit the policy if educators seek changes after observing its effects in practice.
Michigan Joins National Educational Trend
When Governor Whitmer first proposed limiting classroom smartphone use during her 2025 State of the State address, only nine states had enacted similar bans. That number has since grown dramatically to approximately three dozen states implementing various forms of classroom technology restrictions.
Some states have adopted stricter models than Michigan's approach. In New York, lawmakers approved a bell-to-bell restriction requiring schools to store devices throughout the entire school day, including lunch and passing periods. Texas has implemented an even broader ban covering smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets during the full school day.
Governor Whitmer cited early reports from other states suggesting improvements in classroom behavior and academic focus following similar restrictions.
Local Experience Before State Mandate
Several Michigan school districts had already implemented their own smartphone restrictions before the statewide law's passage. At Waverly High School, where the bill signing ceremony took place, educators reported noticeable changes in student engagement after limiting phone access during instructional periods.
According to Associated Press reporting, a mathematics teacher at the school observed that students became "more attentive and participatory" when devices were removed during classroom instruction.
What Students Will Experience
The immediate effect for students will be primarily procedural rather than structural. Phones remain allowed on school campuses, but instructional periods will become device-free zones across Michigan public schools.
Over time, the policy may test whether reduced digital distraction improves classroom focus, behavioral outcomes, and academic performance. Much will depend on how individual districts design their enforcement mechanisms and how consistently policies are applied across different schools and classrooms.
For now, Michigan has established a statewide minimum standard rather than a maximum restriction. The coming academic years will determine whether lawmakers consider strengthening these restrictions or maintaining a model that balances technological access with instructional control in educational settings.
