Madison Metropolitan School District teachers, administrators and even students report that legally required cellphone bans in the city’s public schools have had an overall positive effect on students’ learning.
With cellphones in nearly every high schooler’s pocket and generative artificial intelligence exploding in popularity, students’ attention is pulled in more directions than ever before. In October 2025, Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill requiring Wisconsin public school boards to impose some type of policy prohibiting the use of “wireless communication devices” during instructional time. Parents in Madison concerned about their children’s progress may be pleased to learn that, at least in the classroom, teachers are observing improved focus.
This is the first school year under the law, which gave districts until July 1 to adopt policies. While the law itself only requires schools to ban cellphone use during instructional time, in June, the Madison school board revised its policy to include students’ time passing between classes as instructional time. Students in kindergarten through eight grade are not allowed personal device use at any point throughout the school day, while high schoolers are allowed devices during lunchtime…