Clear Backpack Pilot Program

The district is committed to maintaining a safe environment for all students and staff. The clear backpack pilot program helps increase visibility, making monitoring and ensuring student safety easier.

No. The district will provide each student with a clear backpack at no charge.

Yes. Please see the additional information below about the requirements for clear backpacks purchased independently.

Every GCPS student attending a school that is participating in the pilot is provided with one clear backpack at no charge to the student or family. Schoolwide participation is expected. Schools will follow the GCPS consequence matrix for students refusing to participate up to Rule 8b: Not following directions according to our practices.

No, there are no specific size requirements for clear backpacks purchased by families.

Yes, student athletes are allowed to bring athletic bags, students in band and orchestra can bring instrument cases, and any student can use one small personal non-clear pouch for their personal items, like a purse.

Replacement clear backpacks will be available through the school. Testing the durability of the backpacks is an important part of the pilot program, and schools will track how many backpacks must be replaced due to everyday use.

The district will evaluate the feedback and data collected during the pilot to make an informed decision about the future of the Clear Backpack program. The next steps will be decided in early March, and information will be shared districtwide.

The pilot will run for four weeks. We will keep families at the participating schools updated throughout the process and invite their feedback regularly.

School principals and district leaders intentionally designed the pilot program to better understand the impact of requiring students to use clear backpacks. This four-week time frame will allow for a clearer understanding of the main concerns that students, families, and staff identified in the poll that was conducted in October. Due to the short length of the pilot, the district and schools are hopeful that participation will be schoolwide and consistent through the four weeks.

You can email questions and comments to clearbackpacks@gcpsk12.org.  In addition to the assessment school leaders will do, schools may share other opportunities available at your school for providing feedback.

The district will analyze all feedback and data collected to assess the program’s effectiveness and determine the best steps forward, whether that means expanding, modifying, or concluding the program.

Yes, student athletes can still bring athletic bags, students in band and orchestra can bring instrument cases, and all students can have a small non-clear pouch to accommodate their specific needs, like a purse. Lunch bags and laptop sleeves are also permitted. 

Please email your questions about the pilot program to clearbackpacks@gcpsk12.org.

Yes. A laptop inserted into a laptop sleeve will be permitted in a backpack.

No. These items are not required to be clear. However, they should be no larger than approximately 6” x 9” x 5”.

We understand the concern regarding the privacy of certain items contained within backpacks.

Students can carry such items in a small makeup pouch or purse within the backpack. Any non-transparent pouch, purse, or lunch kit should be no larger than approximately 6” x 9” x 5”.

No. Mesh or crocheted backpacks are not allowed. Students are permitted to only use clear backpacks.

Yes. Mesh side pockets are allowed on the backpack.

No. Backpacks must have clear visibility through all dimensions, excluding the backpack's bottom.

No. Colored, transparent backpacks are not permitted in this pilot program.

Yes. Backpacks may have colored straps.

Yes. Small company and school logos are allowed, but large logos, monograms, or other visual design obstructions are not.

No. Staff participation in using clear bags is not part of this pilot program. Staff can choose to use a clear backpack and participate in the pilot if they want to do so.

Following the school shooting at Apalachee High School, there was a strong call from the community for additional steps to protect students and staff in our schools. In response, we began exploring further protective measures beyond our ongoing safety measures and the pilot programs already in place for this school year. This led to distributing a three-question poll to all GCPS students, families, and staff. Based on the poll results, we are moving forward with a program to pilot clear backpack use in 33 of our schools, and we have adjusted the number of backpacks we ordered to support the pilot program.

Here are some examples of clear backpack policies in other districts that are already in place:

• Clayton County Public Schools (Ga.)
• Rockdale County Public Schools (Ga.)
• Prince George’s County Public Schools (Md.)
• Richmond Public Schools (Va.)
• Dallas ISD (Texas)
• Cypress Fairbanks ISD (Texas)