Overview
- House Bill 1009 would bar student use of phones and other personal devices during the entire school day in grades 9–12 beginning in the 2027–28 school year.
- The proposal includes exceptions for off‑campus dual enrollment, work‑based learning and apprenticeship programs, and it excludes e‑readers.
- Backers cite early district results showing higher grades and test scores, fewer fights and more peer interaction, alongside an Emory survey finding 71% of Georgia parents support extending the ban to high schools.
- Lawmakers raised emergency communication concerns, and supporters pointed to existing K–8 requirements that schools include clear parent communication plans in safety protocols.
- Georgia’s push reflects a wider trend, with 38 states and Washington, D.C., imposing some phone limits and about 18 adopting full‑day bans, even as a USC study reports uneven compliance in schools.