Starting today, students across Georgia in kindergarten through eighth grade will be subject to a bell-to-bell ban on cellphones, smart watches and other personal electronic devices, the first statewide restriction of its kind in the country.
The new law, signed by Gov. Brian Kemp in May, requires public school districts to adopt policies that keep devices powered off and out of sight from the first bell of the day to the last. The rules expand to high school students beginning with the 2027-28 school year.
Though the K-8 ban technically takes effect today, many Georgia school districts got a head start by implementing creative storage solutions or policies designed to keep devices out of sight. Cobb County, for example, adopted its own “phone in pocket” rule for high schoolers earlier this spring and has been piloting classroom pouches for middle and elementary students.
“This is a national moment,” State Superintendent Richard Woods said in a statement. “Georgia is leading the way on a policy that puts focus back on teaching and learning and gives our kids a break from the constant pull of their phones.”
Districts have flexibility in how they implement the law. Most are expected to use locking pouches, phone lockers at classroom doors, or “phone parking lots” near the school entrance. Schools must also publish their discipline policies for students who violate the ban — typically confiscation for the rest of the day, with repeat offenses escalating.
The Georgia Department of Education will issue guidance to districts in the coming weeks on best practices and on how to handle students with medical needs or accommodations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Parent reaction has been mixed. Supporters have flooded school board meetings in recent weeks, citing research showing phones in classrooms hurt academic performance and student mental health. Opponents have argued the decision should be left to individual families.
The Pew Research Center reported last fall that more than two-thirds of American parents support a school-day phone ban, though support drops sharply among high school parents.
