North East ISD Board Approves Stricter Cell Phone Ban to Meet State Requirements

The North East Independent School District Board of Trustees voted 5-1 on Monday to revise its student cell phone policy, moving to a bell-to-bell ban in compliance with guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The new policy, which takes effect May 25, prohibits student use of personal communication devices throughout the entire school day, board officials said.

The decision follows a special investigation by the TEA, which earlier this month recommended that Commissioner Mike Morath appoint a conservator to oversee the district’s implementation of its cell phone policy. The investigation was initiated after concerns about the district’s adherence to a new state law requiring Texas school districts to ban student use of personal communication devices during the school day.

Previously, the district’s policy allowed students to use their devices during non-classroom periods, such as passing periods and lunch, as well as before and after school. The TEA sent a corrective action plan to the district in November, instructing them to adopt a policy that the agency considered compliant with state law. In January, the board had voted to keep its existing policy, but Monday’s vote reverses that decision to align with TEA requirements.

Board President David Beyer was the only trustee to vote against the revised policy. The district will now move forward with the updated ban as recommended by the TEA, while the agency’s recommendation for a conservator remains under consideration.