Cell Phone Use
Texas has a new state law, House Bill 1481, which requires public schools to ban student use of personal communication devices, including cell phones, during the school day, effective for the 2025-2026 school year. While the state mandates the ban, districts have flexibility in implementing their specific policies, which we've outlined below.
Grades PK-5
Students are required to keep their device turned off and stored away upon arrival to campus through departure.
If a student uses a telecommunication device without authorization during the instructional day, the device will be confiscated and delivered to the administration office. Only the parent/guardian may pick up the confiscated device from the campus administration office. In addition, students will receive additional disciplinary sanctions for repeat offenses. See Board Policy FNCE (Local).
| Area of Directed Use | Appropriate Use |
| Before School | NO |
| During school | NO |
| After last bell rings (dismissal) | YES |
| Anytime in the restrooms | NO |
| Lunch | NO |
| Medical or emergency reasons | YES (with principal permission and in dedicated locations). |
| Use of headphones, earbuds, or other advices for audio enhancement | NO (unless used instructionally with a campus-provided device). |
Grades 6-12
Students may use their telecommunication devices before and after school. At the start of the instructional day (first bell) students are to be turned off, placed on “do not disturb,” or silence their cell phones. Cell phones shall not be visible during the instructional day. For safety reasons, headphones/earbuds/etc or other devices for audio enhancements (speakers, etc) are also to be removed and stored away at the start of the instructional day. Students who violate this rule will be subject to disciplinary action, including confiscation of the device and further disciplinary actions in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. The authorized parent/guardian are the only persons who can retrieve the phone. See the table below for more specific information:
| Area of Directed Use | Appropriate Use |
| Before School | YES |
| After first bell rings | NO |
| During class time | NO |
| In the Cafeteria, Library, Gyms, Auditoriums, Outside, etc | NO |
| During passing period | NO |
| Lunch | NO |
| After last bell rings (dismissal) | YES |
| Anytime in the restrooms, locker rooms, dressing, or changing rooms | NO |
| Emergency or medical reasons | YES (with Principal permission and in dedicated locations). |
| Use of headphones, earbuds, or other advices for audio enhancement | NO (unless used instructionally with a campus-provided device). |
Community-Led Effort to Address Cell Phone Impact
In late spring of 2024, East Central ISD created a committee of parents, community members, teachers, and administrators to research ways to reduce smartphones' negative impacts on adolescent health and well-being.
The committee found that continuous smartphone use, including gaming, social media, videos, messaging, and access to adult content, adversely affects physical and mental health, attention, and learning. The committee developed guidelines for cell phones and other devices, which they presented to the School Board on July 18, 2024.
The committee's recommendations to the School Board support Board Policy FNCE (LOCAL). This policy, which has been in place since 2011, limits the use of telecommunication devices during the instructional day. “Guidelines regarding electronic devices shall be addressed in the Parent/Student Handbook.” This policy, now 13 years old, will continue to be enforced.
Our policy is also in alignment with HB 1481.
Cell Phone Rules During the School Day
The Parent/Student Handbook states that students may possess mobile phones, but they must be turned off, placed on ‘do not disturb,’ or on silent during instructional time, which includes passing periods and lunch. Unauthorized use will result in confiscation. Only parents or guardians are permitted to retrieve the device. The guidelines that will be outlined in the Parent/Student Handbook will also mandate that phones be stored away, following the "out of sight, out of mind" requirement upon the start of the instructional day. For safety reasons, students should not use headphones, earbuds, or speakers during the instructional day, except when using school-issued devices for learning.
Please refer to the charts for when students can use phones. Parents can contact the school in emergencies, and the administration will bring the student to the office to call home. Students needing to make emergency calls must seek permission from campus administration and do so in the office. Phones are not allowed during instructional time otherwise.