Austin ISD students are no longer allowed to use their cellphones or personal devices on campus.
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.
A campus may send out a second notice to parents if their child’s device is not picked up in two weeks. If a device is not picked up within 90 days of the second notice, the district may dispose of the device.
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.
