Dallas ISD cellphone ban to start this fall with fines for violations

The Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a new cellphone ban, which will take effect this fall.

The decision comes in response to House Bill 1481, which requires all school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to adopt policies prohibiting the use of personal communication devices during the school day on school property.

Previously, such policies were optional and left to the discretion of individual districts. However, with the new mandate in place, Dallas ISD — which had already been considering ways to curb cellphone use in classrooms — moved quickly to align with the law.

What is Dallas ISD's new cellphone policy?

According to the new policy, Dallas ISD prohibits the use of cellphones at all district schools during instructional class time. All students are permitted to have cellphones; however, these devices must be kept out of sight and remain turned off during instructional class time.

The policy includes the following fines:

• 1st violation: Phone confiscated, returned to parent/guardian
• 2nd violation: Phone confiscated, returned with a $5 fee.
• 3rd violation: Phone confiscated, returned with a $10 fee.
• 4th violation: Phone confiscated, returned with a $15 fee.

When does the Dallas ISD cellphone ban start?

House Bill 1481 doesn’t go into effect until Sept. 1. HB 1481 requires all school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to adopt policies prohibiting students from using personal communication devices while on school property during the school day.

Dallas ISD’s policy will begin when students return on August 12 for the 2025-2026 school year.

Why are Texas schools looking to prohibit cellphone use?

While phones are crucial for parents to stay connected with their children, they can also create distractions in classrooms and cafeterias.

School districts are increasingly banning cellphone use during the school day due to several concerns:

1. Distraction: Phones often disrupt the learning environment by diverting students' attention from their studies and class activities.
2. Impact on social interaction: Administrators believe that excessive phone use hinders students' ability to engage in face-to-face interactions, which are essential for developing social skills. This issue is particularly noticeable during lunch periods, when students may opt to use their phones instead of interacting with their peers.
3. Cyberbullying: Schools are concerned about the role phones play in enabling cyberbullying, which can occur during the school day and negatively affect the mental health and safety of students.
4. Mental health: There's a growing awareness that too much screen time contributes to students' mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression. By limiting phone use, schools hope to create a healthier and more focused learning environment.

Which Texas school districts have cellphone bans?

Several school districts in Texas have recently implemented bans on cellphone use during the school day:

• Grapevine-Colleyville ISD: This district has banned cellphones in classrooms across all grade levels. Elementary students are not allowed to use phones during the school day, while middle and high school students may use them only during lunch or between classes.
• Keller ISD: This district requires students to keep their phones turned off and stored away in bags for the entire school day.
• Lake Travis ISD: According to the American-Statesman, students in pre-K through eighth grade are required to keep their phones turned off and out of sight during the entire school day. The ban was introduced to reduce distractions and address mental health concerns linked to excessive screen time.
• Richardson ISD: The district implemented a policy that requires students to keep their phones locked in secure pouches throughout the school day, with strict penalties for any unauthorized use before dismissal.
• Houston ISD: According to their student resources guide, students are required to leave their cellphones at home or in their backpacks. Should a teacher or administrator see a cellphone on a student’s person (even if it is in a pocket but visible) or being used by a student, the teacher or administrator will:
  • 1. Ask the student to hand over the mobile phone.
  • 2. Put the student’s name on the phone (as with a sticky note).
  • 3. Take it to the office or give it to a learning coach or teacher apprentice to take to the office.
• Austin ISD: To help high school students stay connected with their families, the district permits them to have electronic devices on school grounds; however, using these devices during the school day is strictly prohibited.