La Porte ISD board adopts bell‑to‑bell cellphone ban to comply with state law

The La Porte Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt updates to policy FNCE (local) that align district practice with Texas House Bill 1481, prohibiting student use of personal communication devices during the instructional day.

District presenter (Speaker 3) told trustees the district’s interpretation is “Away for the day, no cell from bell to bell,” covering cell phones, smart watches, earbuds and similar devices, with limited exceptions for documented medical and safety needs. Speaker 3 said the district has consulted legal counsel and developed a communications plan and frequently asked‑questions materials to explain implementation to families and staff.

Why it matters: Trustees framed the change as a legal requirement with potential classroom and safety benefits. Board members pressed staff on the practical steps needed for consistent enforcement, including secure storage and logging for confiscated devices, procedures for returning devices and handling high‑value phones, and teacher safety when addressing violations.

Staff said elementary campuses are already largely following similar practices and proposed a progressive‑discipline approach at higher levels. On exceptions, the district described existing 504 and medical‑need procedures: physician documentation, district nursing staff verification and committee review to determine eligibility for an approved device. "We already have that process in place," Speaker 12 said of 504/medical evaluations.

At one point staff clarified that monetary fines are not an allowable enforcement option under the guidance they received. On classroom enforcement, Speaker 3 said staff discussed giving teachers scripts and messaging to de‑escalate interactions: "You don't engage ... you remind them what the per the expectations are."

The board asked how the policy will interact with discipline limits under other recent laws (including references to HB 6) and staff outlined how ISS/DAEP and manifestation determination requirements will be handled for special‑education students. Trustees repeatedly emphasized districtwide consistency, extensive parent and staff messaging, and teacher training to make the change effective.

With those clarifications, Speaker 1 sought a motion to approve the FNCE (local) updates. The motion was moved (recorded mover: Chelsea Hanks), seconded (recorded second: Trustee Perez) and approved unanimously, as announced by Speaker 1. The adopted policy will require the district to update handbooks, roll out the communications plan and implement the described procedures before the school year.