Dougherty Schools prepare for bell-to-bell student cell phone ban

ALBANY — As Georgia prepares to expand its statewide ban on personal electronic devices in public schools, Dougherty County School System leaders say they are working to balance compliance with the new law while giving individual schools flexibility in how they implement the policy.

During the Dougherty County Board of Education’s June work session, several community members, speaking on behalf of advocacy group SOWEGA Rising during the public comment period, voiced support for the district’s proposed electronic device policy while encouraging school leaders to focus on communication, consistency and transparency as the new rules take effect before the 2026-27 school year.

The policy comes as Georgia’s Distracted-Free Education Act requires public schools to prohibit students from using personal electronic devices, including cellphones, smartwatches, earbuds and similar technology, throughout the school day. Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, the restrictions will apply to all grade levels. Districts retain flexibility in how they enforce the policy and store devices, while allowing exceptions for students whose medical plans, Section 504 plans or Individualized Education Programs require device use.

Several speakers said limiting classroom distractions could improve student engagement and academic performance, but they urged district leaders to clearly explain the policy’s purpose to students and families.

One speaker encouraged the district to establish measurable benchmarks, including student engagement, discipline referrals, attendance and academic performance, so the community can evaluate whether the policy achieves its intended goals.

Another community member focused on parent communication, noting that many families have become accustomed to contacting students directly during the school day. The speaker encouraged the district to provide parent information sessions, frequently asked questions and clear guidance on emergency communication procedures before the start of the school year.

Other speakers stressed the importance of consistent implementation across all schools, recommending comprehensive training for teachers, administrators and support staff on storage procedures, disciplinary expectations and communication with families.

Community members also asked district leaders to ensure accommodations remain in place for students whose medical needs or disability plans require access to electronic devices and suggested the district collect feedback from students, parents and educators during the policy’s first year to identify any needed adjustments.

Michael Finley, the chief of staff for the school system, said the district has already begun communicating with parents through its messaging platform and is meeting with principals and school staff to gather feedback before finalizing implementation procedures.

“We want to make sure we get the proper feedback before we push those out for implementation,” Finley said. “It’s easy to sit behind a desk and write policies, but we have to connect with the people who actually have to implement them.”

Rather than requiring every school to use the same storage method, Finley said each campus will submit its own plan for district approval.

Depending on each school’s facilities and operations, storage options could include lockers, locked pouches or allowing students to keep devices on their person as long as they remain put away and inaccessible throughout the school day.

Board members asked administrators to provide school-specific storage information before classes begin so they can answer questions from parents.

Finley said board members will receive reference materials outlining each school’s approved procedures.

Superintendent Kenneth Dyer said information about the policy has already been distributed to families and that additional communication will continue throughout the summer as the district prepares for implementation.

“We will continue to inform parents of the new policies and procedures as we get closer to the school year,” Dyer said.

The electronic device policy was presented as part of a broader package of student policy revisions receiving a second reading before the board. District officials said several other policies remain under review before final adoption.