The AISD board of trustees approved a new device policy at an Aug. 21 meeting to comply with House Bill 1481. The legislation—passed by state lawmakers this spring—requires districts to adopt policies banning the use of personal communication devices during the school day.
A closer look
Under AISD’s new device policy, students must keep their personal devices turned off and stored out of sight in their backpacks or bags for the entirety of the school day. The school day includes any time before the first bell until the last bell of the day but does not encompass before- or after-school activities, according to the district’s updated student code of conduct.
The policy prohibits the use of any personal communication devices on school property, including cellphones, headphones, earbuds, smartwatches, tablets, personal laptops, wearable technology or “any device capable of digital communication or telecommunication.” Students may still use devices provided by the district.
HB 1481 provides exceptions for devices that are needed by special education students and those with medical needs or disabilities. Each AISD classroom has a telephone that may be used to communicate during an emergency, said Edna Butts, AISD director of intergovernmental relations and policy oversight.
“The Legislature feels very strongly that this is necessary,” Butts said. “People recognize that students will learn better and pay more attention to their academics if they are not distracted by cellphones.”
Something to note
In compliance with HB 1481, the district has adopted disciplinary responses to students who violate the device policy based on the level of offense.
- First offense: Campus staff will confiscate the device for students to pick up at the end of the school day.
- Second offense: Campus staff will confiscate the device, which may only be picked up by a parent or guardian at the end of the school day.
- Third offense: Campus staff will confiscate the device, which may only be picked up by a parent or guardian the following school day. The parent may schedule a conference with campus staff to retrieve the device earlier. The campus may implement additional consequences.
- Fourth and subsequent offenses: Campus staff will confiscate the device, which may only be picked up by a parent or guardian after 48 hours. The parent may schedule a conference with campus staff to retrieve the device earlier. The campus may implement additional consequences.
What they’re saying
Prior to the passage of HB 1481, AISD officials were already working to adopt a new device policy banning the use of cellphones during instructional time, Butts said. Previously, AISD had a more relaxed device policy that was implemented on a campus-by-campus basis, she said.
“I would go into a school a year ago, and I would see all these students having great conversations at lunchtime,” Superintendent Matias Segura said at an Aug. 15 press conference. “Then I go to a different school in a different part of town, and they're on their cellphones. We need to put an end to that.”
At an Aug. 21 board meeting, District one trustee Candace Hunter shared concerns about how banning cellphones might negatively impact students’ ability to participate in certain academic activities, such as taking photos for assignments. Hunter said she was worried about parents being able to communicate with their children during emergencies like active shooter situations.
“I think it may actually inadvertently create a hardship for districts,” Hunter said about HB 1481. “We as a society and as a school district will have to shift.”
The backstory
Greg Gov. Abbott signed HB 1481 into law June 20 after the Texas Senate unanimously passed the bill May 25, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
Bill author Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo, said prohibiting students from using cellphones on K-12 campuses would help improve academic outcomes, students’ mental health and classroom management.
“We want our kids to focus on academics, such as math, science and reading, and the reality is, these phones are a distraction. ... Schools cite growing incidents of cyberbullying due to these phones. My generation is more anxious, [more] depressed, less focused and more distracted than ever before,” Fairly told the House Public Education Committee during a March 18 hearing.
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath has also urged state lawmakers to ban student cellphone use in public schools, citing concerns about the impact to student learning and mental health.
“If it were in my power, I would’ve already banned them in schools in the state,” Morath told state senators during a Sept. 18 hearing. “So I would encourage you to consider that as a matter of public policy going forward for our students and our teachers.”
At a May 20 Senate Education Committee hearing, AISD teacher Rachel Preston said she supported restricting cellphone use but requested the bill clarify when students could use their devices for academic activities.
“Keeping the language of the bill more open can allow districts and schools to tailor their policies with input from their instructional staff in support of efficient and highly-engaged classrooms,” Preston said.
Hannah Norton contributed to this article.
