The Bibb County Board of Education on Thursday heard the first reading of proposed revisions to policy JCDA, which governs student use of personal electronic devices.

Policy staff told trustees that the Georgia General Assembly enacted the Distraction Free Education Act in the 2025 legislative session, which restricts use of personal devices bell-to-bell for kindergarten through eighth grade. The district’s current policy is more restrictive than the state law for K–12, and staff said revisions are required to ensure the district complies with the new statutory requirements while retaining necessary exceptions.

Attorney Mary Grace Kittrell and policy staff said the proposed revisions clarify exceptions for students who require device use under an IEP, Section 504 plan or for medical reasons, and add procedures for storage of devices, communications with students during emergencies and disciplinary consequences for noncompliance. The policy will be posted for 30 days of stakeholder input and return to the board for a second reading and possible adoption.

No vote was taken on the policy during the first reading; trustees asked procedural questions about what changes had already been incorporated following the first read.