When Alpharetta and Milton K-8 students walk into school on Monday, August 3, their phones, smartwatches, and headphones must remain stowed all day.
Georgia's Distraction-Free Education Act, signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on May 9, 2025, took effect July 1, 2026, and will be enforced starting the first day of school. The law requires every public school district in the state to ban personal electronic devices for students in kindergarten through eighth grade from the first bell to the last. Students at Crabapple Crossing Elementary, Manning Oaks Elementary, Cogburn Woods Elementary, Northwestern Middle, and every other Alpharetta and Milton K-8 campus must keep devices stowed for the entire school day, including lunch, transitions between classes, and assemblies.
How Fulton County Schools is handling it
Fulton County Schools had already taken a preliminary step during the 2025-26 school year by blocking students' personal devices from connecting to school Wi-Fi, according to Atlanta Parent magazine. For 2026-27, the district's policy prohibits elementary and middle school students from using personal electronic devices during the school day, while high school students are restricted during instructional time only.
The state law leaves storage decisions to individual districts. Fulton County Schools has not announced whether schools will use lockers, pouches, or another method. Families should check with their child's school before Monday, August 3.
Parents who need to reach a child during the school day should contact the school office directly rather than calling or texting the student's device.
What counts as a personal electronic device
The law's definition is broad. It covers any portable device capable of wireless communication, internet access, messaging, video recording, gaming, or social media access. That includes cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, e-readers, headphones, and earbuds, as codified at O.C.G.A. § 20-2-324.8. School-issued laptops and tablets used for instruction are not affected.
Exceptions
Students with Individualized Education Programs, Section 504 plans, or medical plans that require device access are exempt. Emergency use exceptions also apply.
The law's author says it's working
State Rep. Scott Hilton, a Republican from Peachtree Corners who authored the legislation, told the Georgia Recorder in January 2026 that the response had been overwhelmingly positive. "I've just been blown away at the positive reaction across the board from all different constituencies, teachers, administrators, parents and even in a lot of cases, students who have experienced a difference and said, 'Oh, wow, I kind of like this,'" Hilton said.
A survey by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators found that nearly 72% of Georgia teachers said the K-8 ban will improve student learning. The survey was cited in a January 2026 Georgia Recorder report.
What's next for high schoolers
Kemp signed House Bill 1009 on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, expanding the device ban to grades 9-12. That law takes effect for the 2027-28 school year, meaning Alpharetta High, Milton High, and Cambridge High students will face the same bell-to-bell restrictions starting in fall 2027.
Families can find bus routes, school menus, and emergency contact information on the district's "Know Before You Go" back-to-school portal at fultonschools.org.
