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Savannah-Chatham board begins planning for new state limits on student cellphones
Summary
Board members and staff discussed House Bill 340(the "Distraction-Free Education Act") and possible local implementation steps if the measure becomes law, including exemptions, storage options and communications to families.
Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education members spent an extended discussion on April 9 preparing for a newly passed state bill that would restrict student access to personal electronic devices in kindergarten through eighth grade.
The district told the board it is monitoring HB 340 (the Distract-Free Education Act), which would prohibit K-8 students from accessing personal devices during the school day no later than July 1, 2026 if the governor signs the bill or allows it to become law. Superintendent Denise Watts said the district's current policy already gives teachers authority to control phones in class, but the new law would require districtwide procedures and a community communications effort.
Why it matters: The proposal would affect thousands of students, alter daily operations at schools that use phone-lock systems, and may increase disciplinary incidents while schools and families adjust. Board members pressed staff on logistics including storage options (classroom lock boxes v. central phone lockers), high-school exemptions for instructional uses, special-education and IEP accommodations, and parent pushback.
District staff described pilots already under way at several high schools and at Oglethorpe Charter, where phones are stored in classroom lockers or taken to a central location each morning. Some principals reported success: phones are collected at the start of the day and redistributed before dismissal. The district said cost is a consideration if schools purchase phone lockers or other storage systems, but noted some schools had financed equipment through school-level funds or business partners.
Board members expressed differing views about extending any prohibition to high schools. Several trustees said they support a K-8 ban and want the district to move quickly. Others urged more study of high-school use cases (band tuners, yearbook photography, accessibility and safety communications) and the potential need to provide district-owned devices or accessories. Superintendent Watts said the district will await guidance from the State Board of Education and the governor while preparing a communication and operational plan to present to the board.
What's next: Staff said they will return with recommended policy changes and implementation details once the bill's state-level guidance is released. The board did not take a formal vote on policy at the April 9 meeting.
