Last week, Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 340, the Distraction-Free Education Act, into law, delivering a bold message to students, parents, and schools across the state: education comes first. This new law prohibits students in kindergarten through eighth grade from using personal electronic devices, including smartphones, during the school day. The goal is simple, to eliminate distractions and restore academic focus in the classroom.
The Cobb County School District (CCSD), one of the largest and most academically successful districts in Georgia, has voiced strong support. Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said the district is finalizing enforcement plans but fully intends to follow both the letter and spirit of the law. “We are committed to creating classrooms that are safe, focused, and geared toward learning,” Ragsdale stated.
Parents across Cobb County, and Georgia, overwhelmingly agree. Groups of parents, many affiliated with the national “Wait Until 8th” campaign, have long voiced concerns about kids being glued to screens instead of focusing on learning. “Phones don’t make our kids safer,” said one East Cobb mother. “Strong security, attentive teachers, and prepared emergency protocols do that, not texting during class.”
In addition, teachers across Georgia have expressed frustration that phones interfere with learning and social development. “Students today struggle to hold a real conversation,” said a Cobb middle school teacher. “They sit in the same room and text each other instead of speaking.”
This new law seeks to reverse that trend. By removing smartphones from classrooms, schools can foster healthier peer interactions, strengthen classroom discussions, and encourage students to develop strong communication skills, something that texting and scrolling can never replace.
Georgia isn’t acting alone. In fact, the nation’s tech capital, Silicon Valley, has been ahead of the curve. Public schools in places like San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco, have already implemented phone bans. At San Mateo High School, students are required to lock their phones in magnetically sealed pouches during the school day.
The result? A measurable rise in test scores, fewer behavioral issues, and a dramatic increase in class participation. Teachers report that students are more engaged, more confident, and more collaborative.
According to the California Department of Education, Silicon Valley-area schools serve more than 400,000 students across grades K–12, and several districts have already gone phone-free. Palo Alto Unified, Cupertino Union, and Mountain View Whisman are just a few examples where educators and parents have prioritized learning over screen time.
Georgia’s law mirrors that successful model, and it’s not the only state looking to make a change. School systems in Orange County, Florida; Montgomery County, Maryland; and Katy Independent School District in Texas have all implemented strict limitations on student phone use. Each of these systems has seen positive results in both behavior and academics.
Back in Georgia, the Cobb County School Board has shown strong alignment with the governor’s stance. Board Chair Randy Scamihorn called the law “a necessary reset” and added, “Our schools are about learning, not gaming and scrolling.”
