Willis ISD reviews 2025-26 student code of conduct: phone ban, vaping penalties and AI added to academic dishonesty

Miss O'Lanner, a Willis ISD staff presenter, briefed the board Aug. 1 on proposed updates to the 2025-26 student code of conduct and how the code will be reflected in a more detailed student handbook the board will review at its regular August meeting.

"Code of conduct is a much shorter version. It is the legal version. It is what drives our handbook," Miss O'Lanner said, explaining the document is intended to align district procedures with board policy and state law.

The presentation listed several substantive changes. Possession or use of nicotine products — now explicitly including nicotine pouches and other nicotine-delivery devices — remains prohibited on campus; first-time offenses may be handled at the campus level rather than automatically resulting in a disciplinary alternative placement (DAP). Miss O'Lanner said, if DAP is not used, the district will impose a minimum of 10 days of in-school suspension (ISS) for a first nicotine offense and may reduce placement with completion of assigned educational work.

Personal communication devices are now barred from use during the school day, including instructional time, breakfast, lunch and passing periods; devices must be stored in backpacks and turned off. Miss O'Lanner described a three-step disciplinary sequence for unauthorized use: first offense, the device is turned into the principal's office and the principal or designee will contact home for parent pickup; a second offense carries lunch or after-school detention plus parent pickup; a third offense includes one day of ISS and parent pickup. Additional violations may result in more serious discipline in accordance with the code.

The district will allow exceptions to the cell-phone policy to address individual student needs and retain a means for parents to contact students after the school day. Miss O'Lanner said the decision to require storage (rather than require schools to buy special storage bags) reflected community feedback and budget concerns.

The code formalizes that misuse of technology, including artificial intelligence tools, falls under academic dishonesty.

Presenters summarized changes related to teacher removals under House Bill 6, which permits teacher removal based on a single incident of student behavior and directs the commissioner to adopt a model return-to-class plan. Miss O'Lanner said the district awaits that model and will adopt local return-to-class procedures when it is available.

The district also can now assign ISS beyond prior time limits and must reevaluate placements at 10 days if they continue. For students below grade 3, out-of-school suspension (OSS) is limited to conduct that threatens immediate health and safety or causes repeated or significant classroom disruption, per the revised guidance cited in the presentation.

Board members asked about campus capacity to handle additional ISS assignments. Miss O'Lanner said campus teams evaluated current daily ISS numbers and space capacity and found room to house additional students; she said campuses will use increased monitoring in unstructured spaces (restrooms, hallways), assign administrators to monitor restrooms during class, and adopt tools already used at Lynn Lucas Middle School to better monitor hallway traffic.

Dr. James, Willis ISD superintendent, said the district had sought community input: "We had over 2,400 people that responded to the survey... 75% of those... felt [the policy] would result in fewer classroom disruptions, improve student focus and academic performance, [and] reduce cyberbullying and inappropriate use," and that safety concerns led the district to allow devices to be carried but turned off and stored during the day.

No formal board action on the code of conduct occurred at the special meeting; the superintendent and staff will present handbook language and the code for further review at the regular August meeting.