Bell to Bell, No Cell

Dade County Schools | Distraction-Free Education

Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, Dade County Schools will implement updated expectations for student cell phone and personal electronic device use across all grade levels, K–12, based on two new Georgia laws passed by the general assembly in 2025 and 2026.

Georgia House Bill 340 (2025)

Georgia House Bill 1009 (2026)

In alignment with Georgia’s Distraction-Free Education Act, our district will move to a “Bell to Bell, No Cell” learning environment designed to support focused learning, student engagement, school safety, and meaningful classroom interaction.

While the 2025 state law currently applies to grades K–8, the 2026 state law updated the 2025 law to include 9-12. Dade County Schools decided to implement these expectations districtwide for the 2026-2027 school year after gathering feedback from teachers, administrators, students, and parent groups. Applying the same expectations across all schools and grade levels creates consistency for students, staff, and families.

What This Means for Students

During the school day, students will be expected to keep personal electronic devices put away and inaccessible from the first bell through dismissal.

This includes:

• Cell phones
• Smartwatches
• Earbuds and headphones
• Tablets and personal gaming devices
• Other personal electronic devices

School-issued technology and instructional devices will continue to be used for educational purposes as directed by teachers.

Why Dade County Schools is Making This Change

Our goal is simple: create learning environments with fewer distractions and more opportunities for students to focus, engage, collaborate, and connect. The State of Georgia reinforced this with the passing of two bills in the last two years that created the "bell-to-bell" policy with regard to cell phones and other personal electronic devices.

Research and classroom experience continue to show that reducing personal device distractions during the school day can support:

• Improved student focus
• Increased classroom engagement
• Stronger peer interaction
• Better academic outcomes
• Safer and more connected school environments

This initiative is about supporting student success, not simply restricting devices.

Communication During the School Day

How can parents reach students during the day?

For urgent messages, please reach out to the school by phone to speak to someone who can relay a message directly to your child. While we can communicate via other platforms (Class Dojo, email, etc.), if there is an emergency, please reach out to the school office and speak to someone. For transportation changes, we would also encourage you to send a note if you know ahead of time or call the front office to speak to someone to relay the changes needed. You may also send them through Class Dojo or email to a child’s teacher, but teachers are busy with students throughout the day, and they might miss an email or a message. Speaking to someone will be the best way to relay transportation changes.

For other messages during the day, such as inquiries to a teacher, grade or activity discussions, etc., feel free to message those teachers directly, and they will get back with you when they are free from classroom duties.

How can students contact parents during the day?

If a student needs to reach a parent/guardian during the day, they can use school resources:

• They can use the phone in the office if they need to speak directly to you.
• They can have a teacher send a message through our messaging tools.
• School counselors and nurses can contact parents.
• They can send messages through their own email when they have access to their email accounts.

Emergency Communication

In times of crisis, quick and accurate communication is a must. Dade County Schools works hard to ensure that families, students, staff, and community members receive critical information through reliable channels. 

During an emergency, Dade County Schools shall use the following communication methods such as:

• Automated text alerts: Our alert system is used to send out emergency alerts, such as weather closings or other events. Make sure your current information is up-to-date with your school’s front office in our information system, Infinite Campus.

• Email: As part of our Infinite Campus Student Information System, emails are available to those that have stored an email address.

• Class Dojo: Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, all schools will be utilizing the communication portion of Class Dojo. We have used Remind in the past, but due to changes with their system, it will no longer be utilized. At the beginning of the year, you will be given information on how to sign up for messages from your child’s teachers, schools, teams/clubs, and the district itself.

• Social Media: We utilize our district social media platforms to share updates and information; however, emergency communications will always be distributed first through the methods listed above. We encourage you to like and follow our pages for additional updates, but parents should rely on the emergency communication methods above for the most timely information.

• Local Media Outlets: We share information with our local newspaper, radio, and TV stations when we need to report closings or other events. Maintaining distraction-free classrooms while preserving reliable emergency communication remains a priority for our district.

Student Support & Accommodations

Students with documented medical needs, Section 504 Plans, or Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) requiring device access will continue to receive appropriate accommodations and support. A student whose Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or medical plan explicitly mandates the use of a personal electronic device for medical or educational purposes shall be permitted to access the device as necessary to fulfill the requirements of the respective program or plan.