OVIEDO, Fla. – As students across Central Florida prepare to return to the classroom, e-bikes and e-scooters are becoming a major part of the back-to-school conversation.
Several school districts are changing their policies surrounding the devices, with some implementing new restrictions and others focusing on education as concerns grow over student safety.
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Parents are being encouraged to check their district’s rules before the first day of school. Some Central Florida schools are banning e-scooters and limiting who can bring e-bikes onto campus as more students use the devices as a way to get to and from school.
For some families, the changes could impact how students get to class.
During an Orange County Public Schools meeting, one 7th-grader explained how an e-scooter helped with transportation.
“With my parents having full-time jobs, I had the opportunity to ride an e-scooter to and from school,” the student said.
Under Orange County’s new rules, elementary and middle school students will no longer be allowed to bring e-bikes or e-scooters onto campus. High school students can bring approved e-bikes, but only if they have a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit.
The change has sparked mixed reactions from parents.
“If this passes, I don’t know how they will get to school in August,” one parent said during the school board meeting.
Another parent said families have other options.
“There are other ways to get to school,” the parent said.
While some districts are restricting the devices, Oviedo police are focusing on education and safety ahead of the school year.
Officers are teaching families how to identify legal e-bikes and understand the difference between an e-bike and an electric motorcycle.
“What’s a true e-bike? It’s 750 watts or less,” an Oviedo officer explained.
Police say the goal is to prevent dangerous situations after multiple citations were issued earlier this year near Seminole County Middle School involving both e-bikes and electric motorcycles.
Officers warn that some devices can be modified to reach dangerous speeds.
“Kids can make modifications where it can go 60 to 80 miles per hour,” the officer said. “Now we’re talking about kids who aren’t even eligible to get a driver’s license going faster than cars.”
In Deltona, city leaders initially approved an 18-and-over restriction for e-bikes and e-scooters but later reversed the decision after the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said it could not enforce the rule.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood questioned how officers would realistically determine who could legally ride.
“From my perspective, what am I going to do—put a roadblock in front of a school and ask, how old are you?” Chitwood said.
As the school year begins, officials say the message for families is simple: know the rules before you ride.
For many students, getting to school safely starts long before the first bell.