When a student cell-phone ban takes effect in Georgia public schools in the fall of 2026, the Cobb County School District won’t be providing pouches or any other items for students to store their personal electronic devices during the school day.
They’ll have to bring their own.
What’s called the Distraction-Free Education Act becomes effective in July of 2026, and school districts must implement policies to adhere to the new state law, which covers students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
They don’t cover educational devices provided by the district or pertain to staff and teacher cell-phones, and devices for special-needs students with an Individualized Education Program.
Georgia is one of several states to enact the cell-phone bans that advocates say reduce distractions and improve the well-being of young people.
During a Cobb Board of Education meeting Thursday night, Ragsdale said that the policy must stipulate what “storage solutions” school districts will be offering to students.
“The storage place is going to be a student’s backpack, or purse, or what have you,” he said.
“The bottom line is we’re going to be focused on having school.”
Cobb has more than 100,000 students and is the second-largest school district in Georgia.
Ragsdale said the policies must be in place by January 2026, and must include punishments for violations of the ban. He said that there will be updates to the student code of conduct that will be announced when the policy has been completed.
Marietta City Schools, which has fewer than 10,000 students, enacted a comprehensive student ban on electronic devices last June, including Marietta High School.
The policy also required students at the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy and Marietta Middle School to place their devices in a Yondr pouches provided by the school district during class periods.
According to a late 2024 report, more than 4,000 school districts in the country provide the Yondr pouches, which generally retail for about $25.
“These pouches lock with a proprietary magnet, ensuring devices remain secure throughout the day,” according to the MCS policy. Teachers at those schools “understand that no assignment should require using a cellphone or access to social media.”
The policy also states that “students will keep the locked pouches with them until the end of the school day, ensuring minimal disruptions during class. Exceptions will be made for students with documented medical conditions.”
Marietta students can use their devices during lunch periods and in after-school programs.
Ragsdale didn’t indicate during his remarks at Thursday’s Cobb school board meeting whether the new Cobb policy might incorporate some of the measures in place in Marietta.
That policy will have to be approved by the Cobb school board.
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