July 30, 2026, 5:04 a.m. ET
- The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System is banning all personal electronic devices for all grade levels.
- This new policy enforces Georgia’s Distraction-Free Education Act ahead of the state’s required timeline for high schools.
- Students will be required to store their devices in locked boxes or signal-blocking pouches during the school day.
Much to the chagrin of many teenage students, the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) will enforce Georgia’s Distraction-Free Education Act to include high schools this year — effectively banning the use of all personal electronic devices district-wide.
“The Board emphasizes that these updates are designed to support student learning, safety and responsible technology use,” the SCCPSS website states.
House Bill 340 was the first piece of legislation to restrict personal electronic device usage in schools for Kindergarten to eighth grade students. It was signed into law in May 2025 and became effective in 2026. House Bill 1009 expanded on restrictions, including students in grades 9-12 for the 2027-2028 school year
But the SCCPSS Board of Education decided to enforce the personal electronic ban early. When schools open their doors next week, students throughout the district will not be allowed to use, display or turn on any portable electronic device — including laptops, tablets, smartwatches, cell phones, video phones, Smart Glasses and headphones.
From the first bell of the day to the last, K-8 students will leave their personal devices in a locked storage box kept in their homerooms, and 9-12 students will place their items in a locked, signal-blocking pouch. High school students who don’t bring their pouches must store their devices in the front office.
Pouches that are lost or damaged will be charged a $22 fine and are required to turn their device into the front office or an administrator until the fine is paid and the pouch is replaced.
The district also stated it is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items, so it is strongly encouraged to leave nonessential personal electronic devices at home.
As for the district-issued Chromebooks and personal headphones for classwork, those will be allowed in the classroom for instructional purposes.
Students who are found with a personal electronic device will be subject to a series of punishments. On a student’s first offense, their electronic item will be taken and returned at the end of the day. The second offense calls for a parent or guardian to pick up the device, and a parent conference may be held on the proper use of the devices within the school environment.
The third offense can result in the “loss of privilege within the classroom and/or school for 30 days.” The Savannah Morning News reached out to SCCPSS to clarify the punishment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
During the case of a crisis or lockdown at the school, SCCPSS said “according to safety efforts, cell phones can reduce student safety during emergencies,” stating phones can become a distraction, rumors can spread quickly and high call volumes can overload communication systems. In the event of an emergency, SCCPSS said parents will be notified and kept informed.
“Even in crisis situations, the presence of student cell phones can lead to serious safety risks,” SCCPSS said on its website. “Although it’s understandable that families want the ability to quickly reach their children or ensure they can call for help in an emergency, communication between students and families during a crisis is more likely to compromise safety than improve it.”
Parents and guardians can contact their 9-12 students via email to their @student.sccpss.com account from an external email account. Those who wish to email K-8 students should consider creating a personal family account for communication as they cannot receive emails from external accounts.
Ansley Franco is a reporter with the Savannah Morning News, covering public safety and general assignments. You can reach her at AFranco@gannett.com.
