Georgia school cellphone ban should expand to high school, state ed leaders say
The Georgia Department of Education wants lawmakers to expand the cellphone ban they passed this year, according to their list released Thursday of legislative priorities for 2026.
State lawmakers passed the Distraction-Free Education Act in the spring, which bans the use of cellphones and other personal electronic devices during the school day for K-8 students. The ban goes into effect at the start of the 2026-2027 school year, but many schools have already implemented their own versions of the ban.
The Georgia DOE wants to see the ban extend to high schoolers as well, echoing educators across the state.
A majority of the 3,000 Georgia teachers who responded to recent survey from Georgia Southern University College of Education and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators — 90%, according to preliminary data — said they supported expanding the ban to high school. Researchers presented the early findings of the surveys to state senators earlier this month, at a committee meeting about the impact of social media on kids.
The teachers who responded to the survey also supported a bell-to-bell ban and don’t think it would compromise school safety, which was a concern from lawmakers when passing the ban.
Hundreds of the respondents already work in schools where cellphones are banned during the school day. In metro Atlanta, some schools purchased cellphone pouches or special storage lockers to keep students from accessing their devices; others will require students to keep their phones in their bags.
State Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, who authored the bill, said last year he hoped lawmakers would expand the bill in the future. But he and other advocates worried that there was more to consider when restricting device access for older students, who may have responsibilities like jobs or other off-campus activities they needed to coordinate during the school day.
“We felt changing the culture in K-8 families and schools was a great place to start,” said Margaret Ciccarelli, the director of legislative services at PAGE. “But I think it’s now time to consider changing the cultures in high school as well.”
As of August, Georgia was one of 35 states with laws or rules restricting cellphone use in schools.
The 2026 Georgia legislative session will begin on Jan. 12.
About the Author
Cassidy Alexander covers Georgia education issues for the AJC. She previously covered education for The Daytona Beach News-Journal, and was named Florida's Outstanding New Journalist of the Year.
