Texas – This fall, Texas students will have to deal with a huge adjustment that might make the school day a lot calmer and maybe even more focused. A new state legislation will go into effect on September 1, 2025, and it will require all Texas students to put away their phones and other personal gadgets during the school day.
Earlier this year, the Texas Legislature approved House Bill 1481, which says that students can’t use personal communication devices on K–12 campuses. This includes not just cell phones, but also tablets, smartwatches, earphones, and even game consoles. The law lets local school boards choose between two options: they can either completely ban these gadgets from campus or make sure they are safely hidden and out of sight while school is in session.
In response, school districts throughout the state are quickly changing their rules to make sure they follow them before the start of the fall semester. Some are taking a hardline stance. For example, Humble ISD now makes students keep all of their devices off and out of sight from the time they go to school until the bell rings. If students disobey the regulation, they could face a number of punishments, such as detention after school or suspension from school. If a person keeps breaking the rules, their gadgets may be taken away until a parent comes to get them.
Some districts are being more careful. Northside ISD in Bexar County is working on a policy that lets kids bring electronics to school, but only if they stay in their backpacks or other authorized containers during class. Students who need their gadgets for medical reasons or have special needs spelled out in an individualized education program (IEP) will be allowed to use them.
State Representative Caroline Fairly of Amarillo authored the bill and says the goal is simple: to cut down on distractions and get children more involved in learning. People who support the bill think it might make the classroom less noisy, help kids focus better, and make the whole setting calmer. They also refer to studies that suggest that always being able to use your phone might hurt your mental health and academic achievement.
Still, not everyone agrees. Some parents and teachers are worried that the rules could make it tougher for families to talk to each other in an emergency. Some people wonder how schools will fairly enforce the rules, especially on big campuses with thousands of kids.
The law does give limited flexibility. For medical reasons or for students who need equipment to help them learn, districts can give exemptions. But other than those times, the message is clear: during the school day, electronics should not be seen or touched.
Families across North Texas and the rest of the state are being told to review their district’s unique rules as the first day of school approaches. Even while the underlying guideline is the same everywhere, each school board will use it in a somewhat different way.
That means students have to change their routines. For parents, that could entail getting ready to talk to their kids in more traditional ways. But for everyone involved, the way technology is used in Texas classrooms will change a lot in the coming school year.
