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CFB ISD drafts device‑restriction plan after House Bill 1481 requires schools to limit student personal devices
Summary
Trustees heard administration say House Bill 1481 requires districts to restrict use of personal communication devices; CFB ISD27s cross‑functional committee recommended phones and watches be left in backpacks with exemptions for IEPs and medical notes, and an implementation plan is due before the school year.
Carrollton‑Farmers Branch ISD administrators told the board on July 14 they are preparing a districtwide policy to comply with House Bill 1481, which requires school districts to restrict student use of personal communication devices during the school day.
Brian Marsh and Dr. Eldridge explained that a district cross‑functional team met and developed draft guidance that district leaders expect to deliver to trustees imminently. The draft recommendation, administrators said, would require students to keep phones and smartwatches stowed (for example, in backpacks) during the school day. Exemptions would include documented Individualized Education Program (IEP) accommodations, medical notes, or instructional uses specified by teachers or clinicians.
Trustees raised implementation concerns: how parents will be notified when schedules change during the day (for example, altered practice times), how campuses will store devices, and how staff will apply and enforce consistent procedures across campuses. A board member noted the district already had device policies in place last year and that consistent implementation helped teachers and students; administrators said school staff were asked this morning to standardize procedures by campus so the approach is uniform across the district.
Administrators said they will consult TASB policy services and planned to provide a final draft to trustees within days. The board and administration discussed a timeline: the policy would be drafted in time for required handbook and policy updates and expected to be in place for the start of school; the board asked that principals have implementation plans ready for school‑night parent meetings.
Ending: Administration told trustees the district will return with a refined policy and communication plan; the draft will include explicit provisions for accommodations and parent communication, and the board will consider formal adoption during the required policy update cycle.
