Back to school in Newport Beach with new campus e-bike ban

It's a very different start to the new school year at Newport Beach's Ensign Intermediate School as an e-bike ban for kindergarten through 8th graders takes effect.

Since Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustees voted to ban younger students from riding e-bikes on campus, the first day of the 2026-27 school year saw more bicycles, skateboards, and students walking with friends.

"They kinda just aren't riding as much as they would," student Landon Shebesta said.

Neighbor Drew Lorentzen lives across the street from Ensign Intermediate and said last year, when the school day ended, all the e-bikes coming out were like "kicking a hornet's nest."

"They go everywhere and then coming up the streets going down Clay Street, you know they don't stop," Lorentzen said.

Monday's update from crossing guard Elisa Young -- "Night and day, night and day."

"Every year it seemed to increase with the amount of kids that would get new e-bikes and they would come out looking like stampede," Young said, noting that it raised concern throughout the community.

Some parents admit the ban is tough but are making the adjustment. "Going forward, I mean, I'm just going to be late to work because I don't have any other way to get him to school and as you can see there's so much traffic," parent Cindy Pac said.

Crossing guards are advising students on e-bikes who were unaware of the new rule to check in at the office. Another dad rode his daughter to school on his e-bike, dropping her off.

"I think the decision to ban it definitely helped allow us to push back getting one for her," parent Steve Tait said. "She has a pedal bike and I think that's a great concept."

Newport Mesa Unified is the first school district in the state to prohibit e-bikes except on high school campuses.

With rising numbers of accidents and injuries, school board members say student safety is their top concern.