Last week, state education officials released the first batch of student test data since Texas implemented its statewide ban on student cellphones during the school day. House Bill 1481, passed during the 89th Legislative Session, requires all Texas school systems to prohibit the use of personal communication devices by students on school property during the school day.
The law officially took effect on June 20, 2025, with local districts mandated to implement written compliance policies by September 18, 2025, making the 2025–2026 academic calendar the first full school year under the restriction.
The initial results of the policy shift appeared in the Spring 2026 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) results for grades 3–8, released by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on June 16, 2026. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said that notable gains in middle school reading, including a three-percentage-point increase in eighth-grade reading and a two-percentage-point increase in seventh-grade reading, may be associated with the statewide phone restriction. The agency presented the data as an association rather than a verified causal finding.
The statewide policy applies to both traditional public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. Under Texas Education Code §37.082(d), the TEA defines covered technology broadly to include cellphones, tablets, smartwatches, and any other personal hardware capable of telecommunication or digital communication. The restriction explicitly excludes district-issued devices used for instructional purposes.
To comply with the state mandate, local school boards can choose to bar personal communication devices from campus entirely or designate a specific method to securely store the devices during the school day. District policies must outline clear disciplinary measures for violations, authorize the temporary confiscation of unauthorized electronics, and establish procedures to dispose of unclaimed property after providing 90 days of written notice to parents.
The statutory framework includes several explicit exceptions to accommodate student health and safety. Personal devices remain permitted if a student requires the technology under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 plan. Exceptions are also granted under a physician’s directive for a documented medical need or when a device is necessary to comply with a school system’s established emergency safety protocols.
To assist local schools with the transition, the state allocated $20 million to fund the Phone Free Schools Grant Program for the 2025–2026 school year. The financial assistance program distributed funds using a priority point system designed to favor rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged school systems. The grant program provided secure-storage solutions at fixed per-pupil rates of $12.50 for high school students (grades 9–12), $10 for middle school students (grades 6–8), and $7.50 for elementary students (grades K–5).
The evaluation of the impact of cellphone restriction’s academic impact will be continue to be monitored by the agency. Future milestones for the policy include the publication of grade 5 and grade 8 science testing results on July 31, followed by the release of official state A–F accountability ratings. Officials say they will also monitor localized enforcement data, regional confiscation rates, and medical exception requests to evaluate how effectively the policy integrates into campus environments ahead of the 2027 legislative session.