Board considers new state-mandated cellphone rule; Northside outlines implementation, exceptions and reporting

Northside ISD trustees on Aug. 12 reviewed a revised policy to comply with House Bill 1481 (state law) that restricts student use of telecommunication devices during the school day. Administrators presented implementation guidance, exceptions, and plans for communications and reporting as they move to incorporate the rule into campus handbooks and administrative regulations.

The amendment before the board would not ban devices from campus; instead, the district’s proposed practice asks students to power off devices and keep them in backpacks or in a designated area inside the classroom from the first bell to the last bell. Administrators said the approach is intended to be practicable across the district’s 133 campuses and to avoid the logistical burden of collecting and redistributing devices multiple times per day.

Superintendent Dr. Kraft said the district sought to balance compliance with the new law, the integrity of instructional time and student safety: “we're trying to strike this balance of creating an environment, a learning environment of mutual respect so that the teachers are not having to battle cell phone use utilization, but at the same time, really trying to comply with the law,” he said.

Exceptions and discipline: Administrators noted three exceptions enumerated in the law: (1) when a device is necessary under a student’s individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan; (2) when a qualified physician documents a medical necessity; and (3) when a device is required to comply with documented health or campus safety protocols. For noncompliance, the district plans to use the existing student code of conduct’s graduated disciplinary consequences for insubordination; staff emphasized confiscation would not be the first response and would apply only after repeat noncompliance or disruptive behavior.

Communications and implementation: The district showed a short student-facing video and said two student ambassadors participated in messaging. Staff told trustees they will produce training materials and administrative regulations and will put clear instructions into student handbooks. They also said the district moved relevant presentations and materials into the public BoardDocs section for community access. District staff mentioned a TEA grant program announced last week for implementation support and said they would consider applying for funds if needed to buy collection pouches or other supplies.

Public comment and board concerns: A parent, Catherine Rous, spoke during public comment before the policy discussion and urged caution about confiscating phones and stated concerns about emergency contact if students could not access phones; she cited a personal family history to emphasize safety concerns. Several trustees and administrators raised questions about operational details: whether phones would be allowed during passing periods and lunch (administrators said passing periods and lunch are part of the school day under the law), how the designated-area practice would work with students who bring purses or no backpack, and how consequences will be communicated consistently across campuses. A number of trustees asked for a post-implementation report and recommended a mechanism to collect feedback from campus staff and parents after rollout.

Board action: Administration placed the revised policy on the agenda for board consideration so administrative regulations and implementation communications could proceed if the board moves forward. The transcript records a motion to adopt the proposed revisions; the meeting record does not include a clear roll-call result for that specific motion in the provided transcript excerpt. Trustees later approved two related policy revisions (FD and FM local) governing extracurricular eligibility for students not enrolled in the district.

Ending: District leaders said they will publish clear guidance to families and staff, train campus leaders, and provide a report on implementation and infractions as required by the law. Administrators said the effort aims to restore instructional time to classroom learning while preserving safety exceptions and established disciplinary procedures.