BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — A new bill under consideration could soon require students across Texas to lock away their phones during class.
- The new bill is aimed at requiring every school in the state to implement a phone ban during school hours.
- Temple ISD, which implemented the phone policy at the start of the 2024-25 school year has seen what Superintendent Bobby Ott says is a massive success.
- Ott prefers a local decision when it comes to putting in a phone policy, however, he understands the state decisions.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
House Bill 515, which lawmakers will soon begin discussing, aims to limit phone use in classrooms statewide.
"I certainly think it's worth pursuing," said Temple ISD Superintendent Dr. Bobby Ott.
However, Ott believes parents should have a say in the decision.
"The parents are a key in this," he said. "With respect to a statewide statute, I would really defer to the side of allowing that to be a local decision."
Temple ISD implemented a phone policy at the start of this school year, requiring students to keep their phones locked up during class. Ott said the policy has been a major success.
"I think the biggest part of our success is not just the enforcement, but the consistent enforcement and the support of our parents," he said.
Since implementing the policy, the district has seen a 44% decrease in students making the failure rate list.
Beyond academics, Ott said the district has also seen double-digit improvements in attendance, discipline, and overall academic performance.
"It effectively means that you have more students that are not just on track to graduate but are on track to take college credit courses," Ott said.
Temple ISD worked closely with parents to develop the policy, a collaboration Ott believes is critical to its success.
When asked about the state’s push for a statewide ban, Ott acknowledged the benefits but emphasized the importance of local control.
"I'm not disagreeing, and I understand the perspective state officials may have behind this because, I mean, we're an example of a proven track record," Ott said.
Still, he expressed concerns about removing local input.
"In some respect, that eliminates the opportunity to work with the parents," he said.
If passed,House Bill 515could make Texas one of the few states with a statewide in-classroom phone ban.
