GeorgiaIn the 2025–2026 school year, kids in Georgia are returning to schools that look and feel very different, from lockable phone pouches to AI-powered weapons detectors. The way schools function is changing due to a number of state regulations and district-level adjustments, particularly in the areas of technology, safety, and facilities.
Phone Restrictions Expand Under New State Law
The Distraction-Free School Act, a new state law that forbids students from using their phones in class unless specifically authorized by a teacher, is one of the most noticeable changes. Districts are required to develop their own enforcement rules, and some are going above and above the call of duty.
For example, all middle and high school students in Fulton County are now expected to store their phones in Yondr pouches, which are magnetic-lock bags that students carry with them but aren’t allowed to open until school is over.
The use of phones is also being strictly enforced in other districts, like as Gwinnett, Cobb, and Cherokee. Gwinnett has prohibited middle school students from using phones during the school day, including lunch, while other counties are strengthening district-wide enforcement measures.
AI Security Scanners in Schools Statewide
School districts are also investing in Evolv weapons detectors, which employ artificial intelligence to detect possible threats as pupils arrive on campus, in order to address safety issues. Numerous Georgia districts are implementing these advanced scanners:
-
Fulton County
: Installed in all high schools and some middle schools -
Cobb County
: Now active in all middle and high schools -
Gwinnett County
: Scanners added to every high school -
Cherokee County
: Deploying across middle and high schools this fall
Additionally, a number of metro districts are updating their safety procedures, enhancing protected entrances, and increasing video surveillance.
New and Rebuilt School Campuses Open Across the State
For the 2025–2026 academic year, many new or refurbished school buildings are opening as part of Georgia’s larger investment in education:
-
Fulton County
: Launches the new
Fulton Academy for Career and Exploration
in College Park, replacing McClarin High -
Cobb County
: Debuts a
new Eastvalley Elementary
facility -
Gwinnett County
: Reopens
Central Gwinnett High
after a full rebuild -
Cherokee County
: Opens a
new elementary school in Hickory Flat
-
Clayton County
: Unveils two
new elementary campuses
in Riverdale and Lovejoy -
DeKalb County
: Introduces a rebuilt
Cross Keys High School
and the new
Indian Creek Elementary
-
Atlanta Public Schools
: Moves
Coretta Scott King Young Women s Leadership Academy
into a new building
Many of these improvements are in response to community and parent concerns about aging facilities and the need for safe, contemporary spaces.
Other Major District Shifts This Year
Other Georgia districts are implementing new operational and educational reforms in addition to structural improvements and technological adjustments:
-
Coweta, Henry, Forsyth, and Fayette Counties
are expanding
school surveillance
, updating
security drills
, and launching new
STEM initiatives
. -
Some districts are also
adjusting start times
and creating
more structured policies
around device use and academic tech integration.
This year, is your child’s school using new technology or more stringent phone policies? SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com is the place to share your district’s problems and changes.
