Galveston County school districts are re-evaluating cell phone policies after a recently signed bill will ban personal devices during school hours.
House Bill 1481, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed on June 20, requires public school districts and open enrollment charter schools to have a written policy from using a “personal communication device” on school property during the school day.
The bill defines a personal communication device as a telephone, cell phone such as a smartphone or flip phone, tablet, smartwatch, radio device, paging device or any other electronic device capable of telecommunication or digital communication.
Schools also are required to have disciplinary actions in place for students who break the rules, including the possibility of confiscating their phones. Students who need their phones for medical or safety reasons will be allowed to keep them.
School districts will have 90 days to align its policy with state law.
School districts must now decide whether students will be completely prohibited from bringing a personal communication device on school property, or whether the district will designate a storage method for devices while students are on school property during the day.
Some school districts in the state who implemented strict cell phone policies before HB 1481 turned to Yondr pouches — small bags that once locked, can only be opened with special magnets issued by the company. The pouches cost from about $25 to $30 a student.
POLICY CHANGE
Although Hitchcock Independent School District still is in the planning stages of updating its cell phone policy, it’s considering allowing students to keep their phones on them, Interim Superintendent Patrick Faour said.
“If they were able to keep their phone secured, but in their possession, it will be up to the student and staff to ensure the state requirements are followed to the letter of the law,” Faour said.
In anticipation of the bill’s passing, Galveston Independent School District began conducting focus groups about potential policies this past school year, Superintendent Matthew Neighbors said.
“We talked to teachers about possible cell phone policy,” Neighbors said. “We talked to PTOs and parents about it, and then we also talked to students.
“When we showed students, especially the in-class procedures and what the consequences would be, they were very supportive and felt like it was very fair.”
The school district, which also is still updating its policy to present to the school board before finalized approval — is considering allowing students to have their phones in their possession.
During the school day, the district would trust students to keep phones secured and turned off, and when they don’t, there will be reasonable consequences, Neighbors said.
“We’re going to have either lock boxes or pouches that are kind of like the old calculator pouches that hang on the back of the door,” Neighbors said. “If a kid is using it when they’re not supposed to in class, the teacher’s going to say, hey, go put it in the pouch.
“We’ve established a way to take care of it inside the classroom without involving an administrator; without a kid getting a writeup. So, if the kid goes and puts it in the pouch, then they can grab it at the end of class and on their way out to their next class.”
More serious consequences, such as phone confiscation or in-school suspension, would be enforced if students are blatantly defiant, refusing to give up their phones, or have multiple infractions, Neighbors said.
The district still is navigating consequences for phone use in non-classroom spaces such as hallways and cafeterias, Neighbors said.
DISTRACTING DEVICES
Texas City Independent School District administrators will meet Tuesday to discuss any changes to its cell phone policy, spokeswoman Melissa Tortorici said.
Under the policy, students were required to turn off their cellphones and store them in a purse or backpack before entering the school building this year, and won’t be able to use them until after the final bell has rung.
If students don’t comply and pull a device out at any time during the school day, their phones will be confiscated and held by a campus administrator, to be returned at the cost of $15 at the end of the day.
School Board Vice President Nakisha Paul, who wasn’t speaking on behalf of the school board, testified in support of HB 1481 during the legislative session.
“I remember emphasizing the importance of reducing distractions and promoting student engagement,” Paul said. “While each district will need to implement the policy in a way that fits its unique community, the intent behind this legislation is clear; helping students refocus, reconnect, and thrive in the classroom.”
Many proponents of the bill argued that cellphones are a major distraction in the classroom and can hurt students’ mental health, with some emphasizing the bill’s potential to reduce bullying.
John Rimar is an assistant professor at Galveston College who has taught a dual credit calculus course at Ball High School in Galveston for 33 years.
Cell phones have become a major distraction in the classroom over the last five to six years, Rimar said.
“I don’t think you could design a device that was more distracting in a learning environment than these devices,” Rimar said.
The problem of phones lies in their capability going far beyond simply making and receiving calls, now being used for television shows, movies, games and more, Rimar said.
“I’m kind of old school, but I was talking with a colleague of mine and he and I are about the same age,” Rimar said. “Of course, when we were growing up, most people had a little portable television at home with the rabbit ears on it, and you had a little stand that you could roll it around.
“This colleague of mine said to me, ‘you know, what would you think if a student came to your class and was rolling a television into the classroom?’”
Rimar isn’t alone in his thinking.
In a spring 2024 National Education Association survey of nearly 3,000 of its members, 83 percent supported prohibiting cell phone/personal device usage during the entire school day, while 90 percent supported prohibiting devices during instructional time.
Those against HB 1481 argued banning phones could make it harder for parents to communicate with their children during the school day and expressed concerns about student safety, saying that in an emergency, students should be able to access their phones to call for help.
During the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, where 19 students and two teachers were killed, children trapped inside used phones to call 911.
When asked about safety concerns, both Neighbors and Faour asserted their districts’ commitment to communicating with families during major disruptions.
“We understand the need for parents wanting to have direct contact with their children,” Faour said. “As a parent of teenagers, I understand that need and want to reach out at any time. However, we must follow the laws and mandates of the state of Texas.
“As far as emergency situations, our schools reach out to parents when there are emergencies, or situations that involve their children, and that will not change.”
CULTURE SHOCK
Neighbors predicts the first year of whatever new cell phone policy the school district adopts will be the most difficult, he said.
“We saw an initial spike in vaping infractions when the no-tolerance policy was first passed by the state,” Neighbors said. “Since then, student compliance has improved. We expect a similar trend with students and their cell phones.”
The transition to a more restrictive cell phone policy is going to be a difficult one, with Rimar saying it will be a culture shock.
“It’s going to be really, really difficult for a lot of these students initially,” Rimar said. “There’s no doubt about that. It’s going to be a real radical change for them.”
“There was one day in my classes next year, I overheard one girl, and she was telling someone, she says, gee whiz, I just went a whole hour without my phone. It was almost like a feeling of accomplishment.
“It’s going to be difficult.”
To help ease the transition, Neighbors encourages families to visit with their students in support of the new policy, so infractions don’t escalate and cause students to miss valuable class time, he said.
“I think it’s a great idea to suggest to your student that you bring some cards, or some Uno cards, or something to do at lunch when you’re at the table with your friends; some positive ways to spend your time,” Neighbors said. “Anticipate to ask people about their day and have good conversations.
“I do think those are some ways parents can help, and I look forward to seeing the students interacting with one another at lunches when I’m on our campuses.”
