Panama City- NewsChannel 7 first told you about the "Bring Your Own Device" proposal in May. With the school board's approval of it Tuesday, students are now allowed to use whatever electronics they want during the school day. That includes iPads, cellphones, and laptops.

With the changes, individual teachers will still have the option whether their classroom will participate. If they do decide to jump on board, it'll also be up to them to manage their students in keeping them on task.

That was a big concern when the board first advertised the idea, that the move would just distract students more than enhance their learning, but the district said it's confident BYOD will improve students' performance.

"They come from a world that is full of digital bombardment, and now that they can use their devices in their classroom, they can be more productive," said Bay County School District Supervisor of Instructional Technology and Media Services Tamra Hogue.

Another concern involves the students who can't afford to bring their own device and how the proposal may widen the economic gap in the classroom. In response, the district has encouraged schools to invest in extra electronic devices if the funding is available.