Fulton County Schools board previews ban on personal laptops, tightens cellphone access as state social-media law looms

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Fulton County Schools board members met in a pre-work session March 11 to review a draft electronic communications policy that would prohibit personal electronic devices for K–8 students during the school day, restrict device access for high school students during instructional time, and add a districtwide ban on personal laptops in schools.

The draft policy, labeled IFBGA, grew out of an earlier board discussion about classroom cell-phone use and was presented by Ryan Moore, executive director of strategy and governance. "Personal laptops ... would be new for Fulton, to prohibit personal laptops in any of our schools," Moore said, describing a definition of "personal electronic device" that includes smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, smart glasses, e-readers, headphones and, newly, personal laptops.

Board members emphasized two priorities: a firm K–8 prohibition during the school day and removal of teacher-level discretion that currently allows some teachers to permit device use during instructional time. "I think I can actually answer some of these additional questions in our next topic, which is preview of the Social Media Act of 2024," Moore said, then summarized the board's emerging consensus: "It seems like we have consensus on general guidelines. So section 3a, K–8 prohibition, we're good. In b, we've intentionally written some language here to really kind of see where do we want to fall ... It seems like we have consensus…