No Personal Devices are allowed on all Texas public school properties from "bell to bell." For Akins ECHS, that is from 9:05 AM - 4:35 PM. Please see below for consequences and disciplinary action for non-compliance.
Texas House Bill 1481, passed during the 89th Legislative Session, requires all school systems in the state of Texas to adopt and implement a policy prohibiting the use of personal communication devices by students on school property during the school day. It has been signed by Governor G. Abbott. It is effective on all Texas public school properties from "bell to bell." For Akins ECHS, that is from 9:05 AM - 4:35 PM. Please see below for consequences and disciplinary action for non-compliance.
To visit AISD's policy, including consequences, visit: AISD Devices.
- Per the State of Texas HB 1481, this policy will prohibit student use of personal communication devices—as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §37.082(d), which includes cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, and other devices capable of telecommunication or digital communication—on school property during the school day. The term does not include an electronic device provided to a student by the district or school, such as a district-provided Chromebook.
- The policy will include disciplinary measures for violations and may include confiscating a device. For a full list of consequences, visit AISD Device Policy
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For all Offenses:
- Campus personnel will direct students to give them the device.
- Students are required to comply with directives.
- Campus personnel will take possession of the device and store it in a designated location.
- Parents/Guardians will be notified.
- The offense will be documented.
- If a student refuses to turn over the device, the action is considered insubordination and is a violation of the Student Success Guide. An administrator will be informed and additional disciplinary action may be taken.
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1st offense
- Student may pick up device at the end of the day.
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2nd offense
- Parent/guardian must pick up device.
- Student may be referred for supportive intervention.
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3rd offense
- Parent may pick up the device on the next school day or schedule a conference to pick it up earlier.
- Additional consequences are possible at the discretion of the campus administrator. All consequences will be in alignment with the Student Success Guide
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4th+ offense
- Device held for 48 hours unless a parent conference is arranged.
- Additional consequences are possible at the discretion of the campus administrator. All consequences will be in alignment with the Student Success Guide
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What’s next:
- Each campus will have a secure location for confiscated devices and a system to track ownership.
- All staff can confiscate devices in violation of the policy and deliver them to the storage site.
- Schools will take reasonable care to keep devices safe, but are not liable if a device is lost or damaged while in school possession.
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- The policy will make exceptions for student use of personal communication devices when:
- Required to implement an individualized education program (IEP), a Section 504 plan, or similar plan.
- Should parents and/or students have questions about high school student services, one may contact the Akins ECHS Parent Hub.
- For College students inquiring about accommodations for college courses on Texas secondary school campuses, students may visit:
- Authorized by a directive from a qualified physician due to documented medical need; or
- Necessary to comply with a legal health or safety requirement or to implement the school system’s safety protocols.
To view the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) full explanation of the policy and implementation, visit TEA Policy Implementation.
To explore articles related to screen time, cell phone use, and adolescents, you may visit, the "Pew Research Center," "National Library of Medicine," or Columbia University Dept. of Psychiatry. These articles are not exhaustive nor the opinions of AISD or Akins ECHS.
To explore the State law, visit State Legiscan.
To view the AISD/Akins ECHS Student Handbook, visit Handbook