Carroll ISD approved a new cell phone policy that bans personal device use from the beginning to the end of the school day.

What you need to know

CISD is “fostering a focused, distraction-free learning environment” by limiting the use of personal electronic devices at schools, according to district documents.

“[The policy] will be bell-to-bell while in the school buildings and the school bus,” CISD Superintendent Jeremy Glenn said at a special board meeting Aug. 4.

Personal devices include cell phones, smart watches, tablets, bluetooth-enabled earbuds, headphones and other devices used for communication or entertainment. Devices must be out of sight in a bag or backpack, according to district documents.


Fifth through 12th grade students can bring their own device to school for instructional purposes but will require parent or guardian approval through a written agreement. Students will also have to follow these guidelines:
  • The device must be used for teacher-directed academic purposes
  • The device must be connected to the district’s Wi-Fi network
  • The device will be subject to the same oversight tools and restrictions as district-owned devices
  • The device must not be used for peer-to-peer communication or access to non-approved applications
Glenn said the school will also use a “common-sense approach” and implement warnings and opportunities for correction before disciplinary action as students get used to the new policy.

A first-policy violation will result in device confiscation and the student will have to pick up the device at the end of the day, according to district documents. Any violation after that will result in a $15 fine and a parent or guardian will be required to pick up the device.

Further consequences may be assigned by a campus administrator after the third offense.

How it happened


House Bill 1481 was passed by the 89th Texas Legislature in June and requires school districts across the state to adopt policies to restrict students from using personal devices during the school day, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

The bill is part of an effort to improve academic outcomes, students’ mental health and classroom management, according to previous reporting.

“For our elementary kids, I think this is going to be a good thing,” Glenn said. “But for our high school kids, they’ve spent the better part of a decade being told [they can] use [their] phone in class ... Fortunately, we have great kids and I think we can get this done as intended by our legislature, but do it proactively.”