Santa Barbara Schools Roll Out Expanded E-Bike Rules and Registration

Students in Santa Barbara public schools who want to ride an e-bike to campus will now have to earn the privilege the old-fashioned way: by learning the rules first. The Santa Barbara Unified School District has rolled out an expanded e-bike policy that requires safety education, a parent's signature, and school-issued permits before students can park their bikes on campus, according to Noozhawk, which first reported the story.

The move reflects growing concern — among educators, parents, and law enforcement alike — about the wave of electric bikes that has transformed how kids get around town. Spend any time on State Street, Modoc Road, or Foothill's busy corridors and the change is obvious: young riders, often without helmets, weaving through traffic on machines capable of highway-adjacent speeds.

What Students Must Now Do

Under the new policy, students at participating schools must watch a series of educational videos covering the rules of the road for cyclists, safety protocols, and even liability issues if a pedestrian is struck by a rider. A parent or guardian must then sign off confirming the student understands safe riding behavior before the bike can be registered with the school and issued a permit.

The district's expectations for students are specific:

• Wear a properly fitted helmet when riding to and from school
• Ride without passengers and keep both wheels on the ground
• Walk e-bikes on campus unless a designated riding route is provided
• Follow designated campus entry, exit, and parking requirements
• Ride only an e-bike that is legal for the student's age under California law

The policy also draws bright lines around what counts as an e-bike. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are permitted for students, while Class 3 e-bikes — the fastest category — may be operated only by riders 16 and older. Electric motorcycles, dirt bikes, and modified devices are banned outright on district property because they don't meet the legal definition of an e-bike.

Why the District Acted Now

Marianne Hew, the district's assistant superintendent of student and family services, told Noozhawk that more students have shown up with e-bikes in recent years as the devices have become cheaper and more accessible — often landing in the hands of riders who aren't ready for them.

"People are now giving e-bikes, which some are very powerful and very fast, to very young students who don't have driver's licenses, who don't necessarily think through all of the steps or all of the consequences because they're still developing adolescent brains," Hew said.

The expanded policy builds on pilot efforts that began at La Colina Junior High and Adams Elementary last year. It is now in effect at all of the district's junior high schools, plus Dos Pueblos High School, San Marcos High School, Alta Vista, and La Cuesta High School. Santa Barbara High School is emphasizing e-bike education but is not requiring permits for now, Hew said, because most of its students walk or drive to campus.

La Colina's Head Start

La Colina, perched on Foothill Road below Highway 192, offers a preview of how the program works in practice. Most students arrive by riding through the surrounding neighborhood and entering through the back gates — meaning the school's safety concerns extend well past the campus boundary.

"We can't control which families buy their kids bikes and what they tell them to do," Principal Jennifer Foster told Noozhawk, "but it is our responsibility to make sure as much as we can that they're being safe."

La Colina's permitting program covers not just e-bikes but regular bikes, scooters, and skateboards. Permitted devices get a numbered sticker so staff can identify the owner; other schools in the district have adopted larger stickers or small license-plate-style tags. If a student violates the policy — riding without a helmet, for instance, or zooming across campus — the school stores the bike and calls a parent or guardian to pick it up.

Tobias Emory, La Colina's dean of students, said that when the school gets reports of unsafe riding, staff try to identify the student and talk with them directly.

"There was an explosion two, three years ago on e-bikes, but there wasn't necessarily the toolkit given along with the explosion," Emory said. "We want to start the process now, so our kids can at least have some safe riding skills, and realize that they are out there and vulnerable, and this is a type of vehicle."

What Comes Next

The district is in talks with the Santa Barbara Police Department and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office about hosting educational workshops for students and families, building on past school assemblies with law enforcement officers.

Officials hope the safety message radiates outward. As education campaigns continue in schools, Hew said, the expectation is that awareness "will just raise the level of awareness across the community."

She also urged parents not to treat the permit as the finish line. "This isn't one conversation; it's an ongoing one," Hew said — especially as students grow older, travel farther, and gain independence.

For Santa Barbara families, the practical takeaway is simple: before the next school drop-off on two (electrified) wheels, check the class of your child's e-bike, make sure a helmet fits, and expect to sign on the dotted line.