Will Ga. expand school cellphone ban? Most state bans include high schools.
State lawmakers hope this year to ban cellphones in schools for even more Georgia students.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill into law last year that prohibits students in grades K-8 from using their cellphones and other electronic devices during the school day beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
A similar ban has been adopted by dozens of other states in the U.S., but Georgia’s ban is unusual in one way: Currently, it doesn’t apply to high schoolers.
House Speaker Jon Burns said this week that he expects House lawmakers to pass a bill this year extending the ban to the state’s oldest students.
About half of U.S. states ― including nearby Alabama, Florida and South Carolina ― ban the use of cellphones in schools, according to legislation tracker Ballotpedia.
Florida’s ban does distinguish between grade level: The ban is “bell-to-bell” for elementary and middle school students, but only applies during instructional time for high schoolers.
But in most states with bans, they apply to all students. The laws in Alabama and Louisiana, for example, explicitly state that students may not use cellphones in “any public elementary or secondary school.”
Roughly a dozen other states have instructed or encouraged districts to adopt cellphone policies, leaving it up to the local jurisdictions in those cases to determine the restrictions.
Supporters, including educators in Georgia, say cellphones are a distraction during the school day and hurt students’ academic performance and mental health. Others want to make sure parents can reach their children in an emergency.
State Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, who sponsored last year’s bill, said at the time he hoped the law would be expanded to high schoolers. But state lawmakers have already expressed concern that older students may need access to their phones during the day to coordinate other responsibilities, like jobs or college courses.
Burns said he expects a “lively debate” around the idea.
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.
