The superintendent of Unit 5 said students are having a “much easier” time following responsible phone use expectations in year two of the district’s electronics usage policy.
Kristen Weikle discussed that and a number of other key topics in McLean County’s largest school district during the first month of the 2026-27 school year on WGLT’s Sound Ideas.
Phones
Unit 5 implemented a new phone use policy for students before the 2025-26 school year. While it brought more restrictions, it did not place an outright ban — something a number of teachers requested as the school district evaluated the results of a study on phone use in classrooms.
Weikle said the teachers she has talked to this year have noticed a change now that students have a year of experience with the expectations.
“They've already seen the impact this year because kids came in knowing what the rules are, and so it was much easier to start the year and review those expectations with them than maybe what it was a year ago,” said Weikle.
At the high school level, phones need to be silent and away during class periods, but rules are not as strict during passing periods. They can be used during class if they are granted permission from a teacher, provided that it is being used for educational purposes. Up until high school, devices must be silent and away without these exceptions: from the beginning of the school day until the final bell.
New state regulations on cell phones coming for the start of the 2027-28 school year will not change things at Unit 5. The current policy falls underneath what the state law requires, which is the prohibition of use of “wireless communication devices” during school hours. Like Unit 5’s rule, it does not require strict enforcement during passing periods.
At District 87’s Bloomington High School, the new policy implemented for the 2025-26 school year was an outright ban throughout the school day.
AI policy
Artificial intelligence policy at Unit 5 is “ahead of the game,” said Weikle.
“We very much view it as a tool, and it can be used as a tool to help students, you know, learn,” said Weikle.
“Unit 5 is committed to providing a high-quality education that leverages AI as a tool, not a replacement, for human interaction and expertise,” notes Unit 5’s position statement on AI technology.
The Illinois State Board of Education offered similar guidance in July — that teaching and learning comes from human experiences first and that AI is not meant to be a substitute for it.
Unit 5 also provides a list of AI tools that are approved for certain uses within the district, denoting what each resource can be useful for and in what contexts they are allowed to be used. Certain options are for teacher use only.
Food stamps
Unit 5 families affected by federal cuts to SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits still have options for recourse.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that over a million children have lost food benefits since the signing of the federal budget in July 2025, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. That affects school cafeterias across the country, including at Unit 5, where SNAP benefits secure free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch for eligible kids.
Families that have experienced a cut or a loss to SNAP benefits become eligible through an application process with the state of Illinois. Weikle said Unit 5 families can receive help from people at their child’s school.
“We frequently help families complete the paperwork or gather anything that might be needed to see if they're eligible,” said Weikle.
“If they think they might be eligible, or if they're curious, reach out to your child's school,” said Weikle. “That's the best way to find out, how do you apply?”
Unit 5 families who are not SNAP eligible can apply for meal benefits on the Unit 5 website. According to the state's school report card, roughly 40% of the district's student population is considered low-income, characterized as eligible to receive free or reduced lunches or recipients of public aid.
That's well below the state average of 49.7%. In District 87, 62.3% of the student population is considered low-income.
