Senate Committee Examining Keeping Kids Safe Online Meets

The Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee held a meeting Nov. 12 at the Georgia State Capitol, focusing on the use of technology in K-12 schools. Committee members include: 

·    Sen. Sally Harrell (D-Atlanta) (Co-Chair)

·    Sen. Shawn Still (R-Johns Creek) (Co-Chair)

·    Sen. Marty Harbin (R-Tyrone)

·    Sen. Sheikh Rahman (D-Lawrenceville)

·    Sen. Ed Setzler (R-Acworth)

Rep. Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners), the author of HB 340, the Distraction-Free Education Act, which passed in 2025, banning cell phone and device usage during instructional time for students in grades K-8, also participated in the meeting. Hilton noted that initial concerns about parental backlash from the passage of HB 340 have moved toward appreciation, as families witness improved classroom focus and positive shifts in their children's mental health in districts that have already implemented restrictions.

Prior to the start of the meeting, committee members, presenters, and other attendees locked their phones in Yondr pouches to simulate a distraction-free environment

Watch the full hearing here:

PAGE and Georgia Southern Team Up to Survey Members on Student Device Usage

Abe Flanagan, assistant professor at Georgia Southern University's College of Education, presented preliminary findings from a statewide survey conducted by the university in partnership with PAGE. The survey examined educator perspectives on HB 340 and student personal device use. Survey results indicate overwhelming support among educators for the legislation, as well as a deep concern about the impact of device misuse on learning. Citing national research, Flanagan noted nearly all students ages 11 to 17 misuse their devices during class, costing an estimated 30 days of instructional time per school year. Educators consistently reported that personal devices reduce engagement. He noted at least 26 states have already adopted classroom personal device bans.

The survey, which gathered approximately 3,000 responses from educators in all but three Georgia counties, reflects a broad statewide cross-section of school personnel. Most respondents were veteran public-school educators. Preliminary findings suggest a near-universal consensus that personal device misuse has a negative impact on student focus, learning quality, and classroom climate. Educators also reported serious social and emotional consequences, including increased bullying, negative social comparison, and impacts on student mental health. Most respondents expressed skepticism that personal devices provide meaningful instructional value, noting that any limited benefits are outweighed by distraction and off-task behavior. More than 90% stated banning devices would not hinder their ability to teach and would allow them to return to more effective instructional practices.

Educators expressed strong confidence in their ability to enforce a bell-to-bell device policy. Nearly 80% of high school teachers indicated they could do so successfully. While many respondents expressed a desire for additional training to support consistent enforcement, overall support for HB 340 was exceptionally high, with 90% of respondents in favor of the legislation. Educators also overwhelmingly rejected the notion that student cell phones are essential for school safety, expressing confidence in existing emergency communication systems.

PAGE Director of Legislative Services Margaret Ciccarelli underscored the significance of the findings, particularly the strong support among high school educators for bell-to-bell device bans. She emphasized educators are calling for the General Assembly to extend the ban to grades 9 through 12, noting that HB 340's limited scope was intended as a cautious, incremental step due to potential parental pushback. Based on the survey data, she stated that conditions have changed and that students and educators at the secondary level deserve a phone-free learning environment. Ciccarelli also addressed concerns raised by a small minority of educators, explaining that these largely centered on implementation and caregiver pushback, reinforcing the need for clear statewide policy, strong administrative support, and consistent communication with families.

Click Here for the GSU/PAGE Presentation

Mental Health Impact of Cell Phones in Schools

Stan Sonu, Medical Director for Child Advocacy at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, warned that widespread and normalized use of smartphones and social media is negatively impacting students. Sonu said that, based on his clinical experience, there has been a sharp increase in students presenting with behavioral issues, ADHD-like symptoms, anxiety, and depression, which in turn lead to academic decline.

Sonu explained that social media companies intentionally design their products to be addictive. This addiction often drives students away from learning while weakening relationships with teachers, peers, and families. Smartphones interfere with relationship development for students, and parents and teachers can miss early signs of mental distress. Sonu urged the committee to support stronger restrictions on devices in schools to protect student mental health and increase academic engagement.

Cell Phone Bans in Action: School Leaders Share Their Experiences

Grant Rivera, superintendent of Marietta City Schools, described the district’s decision to eliminate phones and smartwatches from K–8 learning environments in 2024.

Teachers reported immediate results, including improvement in student engagement and participation, a noticeable reduction in bullying and other conflicts driven by digital devices, and significantly less teacher stress and enforcement fatigue. Rivera emphasized that educators did not enter the profession to police cellphones. Removing the devices from classrooms has returned focus to instruction and strengthened student relationships with fellow students and educators.

Rivera urged lawmakers to ensure high schools are included in statewide device bans, noting that older students face heightened distraction and deserve equal access to focused learning. In nearly three decades as an educator, Rivera said that few initiatives have produced such rapid and meaningful change. He also shared that, when attempting to expand the ban to high schools in Marietta, he had never received as much pushback on an issue from students and parents. Rivera said enacting bans in earlier grades could lead to a greater willingness among parents and students to accept a high school device ban.

Marietta City Schools Presentation

Susan Stoddard, principal of Lakeside High School in DeKalb County, described her school's participation in the district's "Disconnect to Reconnect" pilot, one of 18 schools selected to implement more stringent cell phone bans. The school received Yondr pouches to help teachers enforce the ban. School administrators at Lakeside High School clearly communicated expectations with parents and guardians and used the ban to reinforce the school's focus on school safety. The school also clearly communicated to students its progressive disciplinary actions for violating the cell phone ban.

Since its implementation, Stoddard reported office referrals and suspensions have fallen significantly, cyberbullying and student conflict have declined dramatically, and end-of-course test scores have increased by 2% to 6%, depending on the subject area. Disciplinary referrals fell by 31%. Out-of-school suspensions fell by 14%.

Stoddard also explained that the device restriction had a quick and positive impact on school culture. She reported that students are talking to each other more rather than scrolling silently on their phones.

Emory Survey Provides Administrator Perspective

Sky Cupid Douglas, a Master of Public Health student at Emory University, shared preliminary findings from a statewide survey on student cell phone use and school policies in Georgia conducted in partnership with the Georgia Department of Education. The survey, administered to all 232 school districts in spring 2025, found that cell phone use during the school day is widespread, with students averaging one hour per day on their devices and one in four students spending two hours or more on their phones. Teachers across all districts consistently reported cell phones cause daily classroom disruptions.

The survey also found that most districts have adopted district-wide cell phone policies, with 84% of traditional districts and 62% of charter schools typically requiring phones to be stored in lockers or backpacks. However, implementation and evaluation vary widely, and many districts lack systematic methods to measure policy effectiveness. Districts cited parental resistance, limited staff time, insufficient funding, and training gaps as key barriers to effective implementation. Respondents indicated that additional state support, including funding for phone storage solutions, digital media education, and staff training, would strengthen implementation and better support students’ academic and developmental needs.

Emory Presentation

GeorgiaCAN Shares Parental Perspective

Michael O'Sullivan, executive director of GeorgiaCAN, shared that Georgia is an outlier for not restricting personal devices in high schools. He cited research, including a Florida study, showing that comprehensive cell phone bans may lead to a short-term increase in discipline referrals but ultimately result in improved test scores, fewer unexcused absences, and stronger student engagement. O’Sullivan also raised safety concerns, stating student phone use during emergencies can spread misinformation and trigger parental responses that interfere with first responders. He emphasized that bell-to-bell policies covering all personal devices, while allowing district-issued instructional technology, are clearer, easier to enforce, and more effective than partial bans.

GaPSC Discusses Artificial Intelligence in Classrooms

Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) Executive Secretary Jody Barrow highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools and the need for clear ethical guardrails. Barrow said that, while AI offers opportunities to support teaching and operational efficiency, it also presents risks related to bias, privacy, and over-reliance. Barrow outlined GaPSC’s development of educator-informed guidance aimed at protecting student data, maintaining transparency, applying professional judgment, and ensuring AI supports human instruction and decision-making rather than replacing it. He emphasized that the guidance is designed to evolve alongside the technology and reinforces the importance of preserving educators’ core skills, creativity, and critical thinking while ensuring responsible use in schools.

GaPSC's Ethical Considerations in the Appropriate Use of AI for Educators can be accessed here.

GaPSC Presentation

Committee Releases Final Report with Recommendations

The study committee released its final report Dec. 10. Click the button below to access the report, which includes a recommendation to ban student mobile devices in grades 9-12.

Committee Final Report