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Savannah‑Chatham Board to enforce bell‑to‑bell ban on personal electronic devices for all grades starting Aug. 3
Summary
The board reviewed administrative regulations to extend an existing K–8 ban to grades 9–12 in line with the state Distraction Free Education Act and approved moving ahead with districtwide implementation Aug. 3, 2026, with communications and IEP/medical exemptions managed through existing administrative guidance.
The Savannah‑Chatham County Public School System will enforce a districtwide ban on personal electronic devices "bell to bell" beginning Aug. 3, the first day of the 2026–27 school year, officials said at the July 8 board meeting.
Staff said the administrative regulation updates align the district with the state Distraction Free Education Act (referred to in the meeting as HB 1009) that extends the prohibition to grades 9–12. "There would be no personal electronic devices for any student in our schools bell to bell subject to any of the exclusions in existing law," staff told the board.
Board members pressed staff on rollout timing and exceptions. "Have we started thinking about how...parents will go through the application process to receive that special permission?" asked board member Miss Grabowski. Staff said exemptions for medical devices and students with individualized education programs will be handled through current guidance and, when appropriate, recorded in IEPs so permissions follow the student.
Officials outlined a communications plan that includes implementation toolkits for school leaders, training sessions for building administrators and videos demonstrating the check‑in process for phones (lockers or district‑provided pouches). Staff said materials will be posted to the district's back‑to‑school hub at sccpss.com and distributed via email blasts and callouts in the three weeks before school starts.
The board framed the change as an effort to reduce confusion across grade bands and to align district practice with state law. School leaders will receive additional guidance on special‑case procedures and the district said it will monitor implementation and return to the board if adjustments are needed.
