Board hears multiple 2025 legislative mandates; opt‑out of homeschool UIL participation, phone ban among measures to address

Duncanville ISD legal and policy staff briefed the board July 21 on several 2025 legislative changes that require local policy action or operational changes, and staff said formal recommendations will come to trustees at the August meeting. Two items highlighted for near‑term board action: Senate Bill 401 (homeschool participation in University Interscholastic League activities) and House Bill 1481 (restrictions on student personal wireless devices during instructional time). Administration told the board it plans to return next month with a recommendation to opt out of allowing homeschool students to participate in UIL activities under the new state law, and it has formed a discipline/policy committee to draft an implementation plan for the device ban, which must be in place by Sept. 1, 2025. On SB401, administration noted duties the district would assume for non‑enrolled participants, including academic eligibility verification, residency and discipline compliance, attendance and grade equivalency validation, and potential extra administrative workload. Mr. Graham summarized the concerns and said the choice to opt out is available to local boards; he said the district’s recommendation to the board next month will include an analysis and suggested action. On HB1481, administration said the law restricts the use of cell phones and a broad set of personal communication devices during the school day (from campus entry to dismissal) and that the district’s discipline committee is drafting consistent enforcement protocols and staff training. “The bill has to be in place before 09/01/2025,” Mr. Graham told trustees. Administration also provided a high‑level overview of several other bills that affect local policy and operations, including requirements to create local school library advisory councils and increased transparency for library catalogs (Senate Bill E13); changes to parental‑rights and grievance procedures, restrictions on certain DEI duties and social transition supports, and expanded record access for parents (Senate Bill 12); open‑meetings notice and minutes changes (House Bill 1522 and Senate Bill 1413); and a new statutory option requiring display of the Ten Commandments poster (Senate Bill 10). Legal staff and TASB were working on policy language and implementation guidance, administration said. Staff emphasized these matters are evolving as legal interpretation and model policies are refined and that district legal counsel is coordinating next steps. Trustees had questions about timelines, communications to families, and how enforcement will work; administration said it will begin public communications once board action sets policy and will provide draft policy language at the August meeting.