BY HANNAH JOHNSON
Frisco ISD bans all cell phone use under new state law
Frisco ISD students will not be allowed to use their cell phones and other personal devices during the school day after a new state mandate goes into effect. Personal devices—including cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, earbuds and Bluetooth headphones—must be turned off and stored in backpacks when the school day begins, according to a district news release. The policy applies to passing periods, lunch and any other non-instruc- tional time a student has on campus. “It is a bell to bell ban,” district Legal Counsel Esther Kolni said before the board approved its
encourage student interactions to create a focused learning environment, the release stated. Major takeaways Students will only be allowed to use district-is- sued technology, such as Chromebooks, during the school day. Students will have access to school resources and staff in case of emergencies or urgent messages from parents. Parents are encouraged to contact the campus front office if they must contact their child during the school day. Parents and students can find additional infor- mation about the policy and its implementation at www.friscoisd.org/hb1481. “This is going to be an adjustment for students, parents and staff,” Kolni said. “We’re expecting some pain points but we’re going to uphold the law and help our kids adjust to this new way of being in school which is really just a return to the old way.”
New legislation
Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law on June 20, giving school districts 90 days to adopt new electronic device policies. Under the mandate, school districts must:
Designate a method to securely store devices
Outline disciplinary measures, such as confiscating a device and written warnings Implement exceptions for students with medical needs or individualized education programs FISD policy highlight: Consequences for violating the policy is based on the number of offenses and range from confiscation and a written warning to in school suspension.
policy July 31 . Some context
House Bill 1481 was passed by the 89th Texas Legislature in June and requires school districts to adopt policies that restrict students from using personal communication devices during school. The law is meant to reduce distractions and
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