The Cobb County School District is gearing up for a statewide ban on cell phones in grades K-8, which is set to take effect in July 2026. However, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale announced during a recent board meeting that the district will not be investing in smartphone pouches, a model being piloted in other districts, to manage student phone access.
Instead, Ragsdale stated that the district will allow students to store their devices in their backpacks, purses, or pockets. This decision aligns with the governor’s recent signing of Georgia House Bill 340, known as the Distraction-Free Education Act, into law in May.
As part of the changes, the student code of conduct will be revised to outline compliance expectations and associated consequences for violations. The law specifically exempts devices issued by the district, ensuring that students can still use school-provided technology during school hours.
In contrast to Cobb’s approach, both Marietta City Schools and DeKalb County School District are testing Yondr pouches, which lock a phone inside until a user exits a designated phone-free zone to regain access.
According to the new legislation, all school districts in Georgia must establish a clear policy governing cell phone use to comply with the law. The Cobb County School District plans to communicate the full details of this policy to parents in the upcoming school year before the ban takes effect.
In addition to the cell phone discussion, the Cobb County school board also examined a proposal related to the Cobb Schools Foundation’s bylaws during its afternoon work session. The proposal, presented by school board Chair David Chastain, suggested removing the residency requirement for individuals seeking to serve on the foundation’s board.
Chastain argued that eliminating this requirement would allow for a broader pool of candidates who could contribute significantly to the foundation, citing local businesses such as Publix and Six Flags as potential sources of eager contributors. The proposed policy would instead require candidates to meet one of three qualifications: be a parent of a Cobb student, be a graduate of Cobb, or be employed by a Cobb-based business.
However, the proposal sparked concerns among board members Leroy Tre’ Hutchins, Becky Sayler, and Nichelle Davis. Davis, a Cobb resident, highlighted that she would be ineligible under the new criteria despite residing in the area, thus raising questions about whether the revised rules might inadvertently exclude community members.
She suggested reconsidering the residency requirement and reinstating it as an option for eligibility. Sayler also expressed uncertainty about the proposal, suggesting that there might have been a clerical error and called for a postponement to clarify the intentions behind the proposed changes.
Ragsdale responded to the concerns by arguing that reverting to the previous residency standard would contradict the goal of broadening the foundation’s board membership. He reassured board members that the foundation had discussed and supported the proposed changes as presented.
Following ongoing discussions about the new criteria, board attorney Suzann Wilcox offered to collaborate with the foundation to ensure the proposal reflects its intended purpose. In light of this dialogue, Chastain withdrew his original motion, allowing the matter to be revisited at the next board meeting.
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