Libertyville District 70 Says No Cellphone Policy Changes Are Needed

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Libertyville School District 70 is not changing its cellphone policy for the 2026-27 school year, saying its existing rules already comply with a new Illinois law requiring school districts to limit student cellphone and personal wireless-device use during the school day.

District 70 students are required to keep cellphones turned off and stored in their lockers during the school day. The district said it is not considering Yondr pouches or another phone-storage system and does not currently plan additional policy changes.

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"Our policy has been in effect for several years," Jim Cieciwa, a spokesperson for D70 told Patch, adding that the district has not received significant feedback related to the new state law.

Under District 70's current policy, students may not use cellular phones, smartphones, smartwatches, video-recording devices or similar electronic devices for non-emergency purposes during the school day, Cieciwa said. Students may bring phones to school as long as they are turned off and kept in their lockers.

The district's board policy allows limited exceptions. Devices may be used with permission from a supervising teacher, when use is included in a student's IEP or Section 504 plan, during lunch or during an emergency threatening the safety of students, staff or others

The policy also prohibits using electronic devices in ways that disrupt the educational environment or violate the rights of others, including taking photographs in locker rooms or bathrooms or using devices to cheat, according to the policy.

District 70 said it is not planning additional changes before the state's later implementation deadline, which will take effect next school year, and no school board discussions or votes regarding cellphone policy are currently scheduled, Cieciwa said. .

The new Illinois law requires school districts to establish policies limiting student use of cellphones and other personal wireless communication devices during the school day. District 70 officials said their existing policy was already in compliance with the new requirements.