ATLANTA — Georgia high school students will soon be banned from having their cellphones in class.
That’s just one of several education bills signed by the governor on Tuesday.
Starting in the 2027-28 school year, high schoolers will no longer be able to carry their cellphones to class or in the hallways.
With the signing of the bill, cellphones are banned in Georgia public high schools. That ban already exists in elementary and middle schools.
Gov. Brian Kemp said the ban was so successful that they wanted to expand it.
“The improved outcomes following last year’s bill have been incredible, and this common step will help both students and faculty learn in safer, distraction-free environments,” Kemp said.
The bill bans cellphones in high school but leaves it up to the individual school districts how they want to implement the ban.
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At the same time, Kemp also signed a bill designed to help younger students in kindergarten through third grade read better through literacy coaches at every public school across Georgia at a cost of about $70 million.
Right now, a third of third graders in Georgia cannot read at grade level. The bill was a big push for House Speaker Jon Burns.
“We will place literacy coaches in every single K through third elementary school across this great state. Ensure our future educators are prepared to teach our children how to read,” Burns said.
Kemp said reading is essential for Georgia’s future and the future of these students.
“We know that for students to have success both in and beyond the classroom, they need a strong foundation in literacy and reading comprehension,” Kemp said.
Because it will take time for districts to interview and hire literacy coaches, this won’t start until the 27-28 school year.
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