GISD board discusses cellphone, device policy

The Graham ISD Board of Trustees will be voting next week on a new policy for restricting the use of cellphones and other personal communication devices during the school day.

Assistant Superintendent Robert Loomis spoke to the board Wednesday, Aug. 6 about the in-progress Student Code of Conduct and the policy for personal communication devices for the upcoming school year.  

“That will be also in the Student Handbook, and there will be some discipline assigned to that,” Loomis said. “We do not have that complete yet. That’s still a work in progress. So when it gets taken up, what is the consequence of that? We’re at that step, but we’re not ready to put that in here yet.” 

The district sent out a notice to parents and guardians Wednesday, July 30 on ParentSquare regarding the upcoming change and information regarding Texas House Bill 1481. 

All school districts and charter schools must adopt a policy by Thursday, Sept. 18, or 90 days after the bill was signed Friday, June 20 by Gov. Greg Abbott.

“We’re really excited that our students are going to become more social and get better at looking each other in the eye and having conversations at lunch and not looking down at their phones,” Superintendent Mary Johnston said. “I think that, all in all, the intent of the law is a good one, and we are going to follow it.”

Use of devices will not be permitted on school property during the school day and store the device as established by the district. The superintendent said that this policy applies to students of the district and not teachers.

“It’s never going to be okay for teachers who are supposed to be teaching (to be) texting,” she said. “However, I would like to make a note that we do need teachers to have their phones accessible, because should we have an emergency that’s a piece of the emergency plan so they cannot turn their phones off and stick them in backpacks.” 

When GISD releases its new policy, they will release a 'frequently asked questions' section on the district website. The district will be communicating with parents and guardians via ParentSquare as they release information.

“We’re going to... (be) clear for our parents, not just say, ‘Here’s a policy, and this is what we’re doing.’ I think that the FAQ is about seven pages long, and we’ll post that on the website. ...Really, any question a parent could ask, we will have that prepared and vetted by council to make sure it’s correct,” Johnston said.

Personal communication devices include a telephone, cellphone, tablet, smartwatch, radio device, paging device, or any other electronic device capable of telecommunication or digital communication. This does not include an electronic device provided to a student by the district.

The district will allow the use of personal communication devices that are part of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504, or similar program or plan.

The district will also allow the devices with documented need based on a directive from a qualified physician, or to comply with a health and safety requirement imposed by law or as part of the district’s safety protocols. 

“Inappropriate use of a personal communication device during the school day will result in disciplinary action in accordance with this Code of Conduct,” the proposed 2025-2026 Student Code of Conduct states.

According to the district’s proposed local policy, an authorized district employee will take a student’s personal communication device that is used in violation of this policy. The district will provide notice regarding the device being obtained and devices not retrieved will be stored according to the administrative regulations.

The superintendent will report to the board on implementation and compliance of this policy on an annual basis.

“I feel certain that the enforcement level will be at an all time high when it comes to this,” Johnston said. “...From what I understand, our principals have already been very clear with the teachers about their expectations with regard to the policy.” 

Under the district’s former local policy, district employees were allowed to confiscate personal telecommunication devices used in violation of campus rules. If not retrieved, the device could be disposed of by the district after providing notice by law.

A student was required to obtain prior approval before using personal telecommunication or other personal electronic devices for on-campus instructional purposes, under the former policy. 

The former policy allowed students to possess cellphones for safety purposes, but were required to remain turned off during the instructional day. 

Guidelines for personal communication device storage as required by HB 1481 includes students powering off all personal communication devices at the beginning of the school day. 

The devices must be stored in backpacks or pockets for the entire instructional day.

Students are allowed to resume use of their devices once they have exited the campus at the end of the school day.

In August and September 2024, the district discussed cellphone use in the district, with students being allowed to possess personal cellphones for safety purposes under the district’s current policy.

The district spoke about the possibility of using a Yondr pouch to hold phones and smart devices. 

Some of the issues raised regarding the idea were centered around students in possession of more than one phone, the ongoing cost for replacement and other future expenses and students using tools to overcome the locking mechanism.

The district's new policy will be brought before the school board as an action item for their meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12.

“It’s not going to be an easy transition, but this is in the best interest of educating our kids,” Board President Chris Blanton said.