Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) Cell Phone Policy, 2026–27

GCPS phone policy at a glance

Policy

Board Policy JCDAF, Use of Electronic Devices by Students

Adopted

Board vote on Dec. 18, 2025, for grades K–8 only; in effect July 1, 2026

K–8 hours

First bell to final bell, including recess, transitions and assemblies

High school

Not covered by the district rule in 2026–27; a proposal to limit grades 9–12 during class was not approved

Devices

Phones, smartwatches, tablets, e-readers, headphones and any portable device that sends, receives or accesses communication or media

Storage

Set by each school: in the student’s belongings or a designated classroom area

Exceptions

An IEP, 504 plan or medical plan that requires a device

Consequences

Progressive and age-appropriate: reminders and parent contact first, then a warning or temporary confiscation under the Student Conduct Behavior Code

Parent contact

Call the school; staff deliver urgent messages

Last verified Oct. 12, 2026 against the district’s published policy and the state law it cites. Sources are listed at the end of this page.

What the GCPS policy says

Under Policy JCDAF, students in kindergarten through grade 8 may not access personal electronic devices during the school day, from the first bell to the final bell, including recess, transitions and assemblies. The district defines a device broadly, so smartwatches, tablets and headphones count as well as phones. Each school tells families how devices are stored, either in the student’s belongings or in a designated spot in the classroom.

The board approved the policy on Dec. 18, 2025, for K–8 only. A proposed rule limiting high school students during class time was not approved, and the board said high school phone use would remain under discussion. Some high schools publish their own classroom rules, so check your school’s handbook.

Consequences start small: reminders and a call home, then a warning or temporary confiscation under the Student Conduct Behavior Code. Emergency communication goes through school staff and official systems, and parents who need to reach a child should contact the school.

How it fits Georgia law

Georgia's Distraction-Free Education Act (HB 340, 2025), codified at O.C.G.A. 20-2-324.8, bars students in kindergarten through grade 8 from accessing personal electronic devices from the first bell to the final bell, beginning no later than July 1, 2026. HB 1009, signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on May 5, 2026, extends the rule to grades 9–12 beginning no later than July 1, 2027. District policies must name a storage method (such as a locker, a locked pouch or a set place in the classroom), route emergency communication through school systems, and allow an exception only for an IEP, a Section 504 plan or a medical plan that requires the device.

Gwinnett’s K–8 rule matches the requirement already in effect. Under HB 1009, Gwinnett’s high schools will also have to follow the bell-to-bell rule no later than July 1, 2027, the start of the 2027–28 school year.

More detail is in our guide to Georgia’s school phone law and the phone-free school laws by state directory.