Dalhart ISD’s response to the new Texas House Bill 1481: Regarding Cell Phones, Electronic Devices, and Bluetooth Accessories:
DISD Parents,
Please understand that each campus will have different procedures that will be age and grade-level appropriate. However, I wanted to share this with you as soon as we possibly could. This is now required by law, and we have chosen as a district not to ban phones from our district. So as extreme as these choices may seem, this was the least restrictive option that we have while following the law. Just as every business in our community, it has been a challenge to be fully staffed. There is no way that we can designate staff members to take phones up and pass them back out to secure them during the instructional day. That is why we are taking them up before school starts and passing them back out at the end of the instructional day.
Jeff Byrd
DISD CELL PHONE POLICY
2025-2026
Texas House Bill 1481: The bill mandates that Texas public schools develop and implement policies to prohibit student use of personal communication devices during the school day on school property.
The use of cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, radio devices, paging devices, or any other electronic device capable of telecommunication or digital communication are prohibited in school. Devices must be left at home or stored in secure storage on campus.
Student Options:
· A Student can leave devices at home. OR
· A Student can check devices in a designated area before the first bell rings 10 minutes before the first bell rings. Devices will be stored in a designated area till the end of the school day or until student leaves campus for the day (excluding lunch).
If you choose to bring your devices on campus with you, you will be required to do the following:
· Your devices must be powered off.
· Stored Cell Phones may NOT be removed from secure storage during the lunch period whether the student remains on campus or leaves campus for lunch.
2. TARDIES WILL NOT BE EXCUSED FOR TURNING IN DEVICES. You have the choice of leaving your device at home or bringing it to school with you. If you choose to bring your phone on campus with you, it is your responsibility to be on campus early enough to turn your device in before the school day starts. Turning your device in will not be an excuse to be tardy.
3. No personal earbuds, earphones, or headphones are allowed to be used by students. If a classroom activity requires headphones, the school will provide them.
4. THERE WILL BE NO WARNINGS!!! Students will be considered warned when the student/parent signs the Cell Phone Policy at registration.
5. Dalhart ISD will not be responsible for any lost or damaged devices, again it is your choice to bring the devices with you, or you can choose to leave them at home.
Consequences for Violating the Cell Phone Policy:
First Offense: All confiscated devices (phones, smartwatches, headphones, earbuds, tablets, etc.) may be picked up after the final school bell for the day.
Second Offense: All confiscated devices (phones, smartwatches, headphones, earbuds, tablets, etc.) may be picked up on the 10th day after the device is confiscated
Third and Subsequent Offenses: All confiscated devices (phones, smartwatches, headphones, earbuds, tablets, etc.) may be picked up on the 30th day after the device is confiscated.