TIFT COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - One of the largest school districts in Southwest Georgia is getting ahead of a new state law by tightening its cell phone policy this school year, and not everyone is on board.

Starting this fall, students in Tift County will be required to keep their phones locked away in a magnetic pouch throughout the school day, from the first bell to the last. The district is implementing the changes ahead of the 2026 statewide rollout of the Georgia Distraction-Free Education Act, which will prohibit K–8 students from using personal electronic devices during the school day.

But Tift County is taking it a step further, also applying the policy to high school students. District leaders say the decision was made in the best interest of student learning and mental health.

“A lot of these personal electronic devices have a growing impact on our students, not just on their academic well-being, but their social and emotional well-being,” said Dana Spurlin, Chief of Communications for Tift County Schools. “Our policy is aimed to reengage our students in the classroom.”

Bruno Meza, a recent graduate who served on the Superintendent’s Student Council while the policy was being introduced, said he understands the district’s goal but remains concerned.

“I do think there may be some occasions where students might need their phones for emergency purposes,” Meza said. “And I just don’t like the idea of not being able to access your phone at all during school hours.”

Administrators say they’ve put systems in place to make sure parents can still communicate with their children.

“At the high school level, our students all have email addresses. Because students over the age of 13 can access external email, parents will be able to contact their children that way,” Spurlin said. “At the middle school, we’re using a program called Rooms. It’s a two-way communication platform where parents and teachers can message, and students can be part of the conversation using their Chromebooks.”

To enforce the new rule, all student phones will be secured in a Yondr pouch. A magnetic, lockable sleeve that prevents use during the school day. The pouches will be unlocked at the end of the day as students leave campus. Tift County Schools say they hope the change will help students stay focused, less distracted, and more engaged with classroom instruction.

To read the full policy, click here.

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