Katy ISD prepares local policy changes for new state rules on personal communication devices; trustees debate homeschool extracurricular opt-out

Katy ISD staff briefed trustees on Policy Update 125 and related legislative changes during a July 21 work-study meeting, focusing on the state-mandated restriction on student use of personal communication devices and a local-policy decision to opt out of permitting homeschool students to participate in extracurricular activities.

Sherry Ashbourne, Director of Student Affairs, presented the package of legislative and local updates. She said the district is updating local policy language to align with several bills, including House Bill 1481 (personal communication devices) and other recent statutes. On the personal-device rule, Ashbourne told trustees the statutory language requires that students not “use a personal communication device on school property during the…