Dear Fort Bend ISD Community,

House Bill 1481 is a state law passed by the Texas Legislature that requires school districts to prohibit students from using personal wireless communication devices during instructional time.

The following prohibitions and restrictions will be outlined in Fort Bend ISD Policy (FNCE Local):

Elementary students in Pre-K through 1st grade shall not possess a personal telecommunication device on school property during the school day.

Students in grades 2–12 are prohibited from using personal telecommunication devices on school property during the school day. All devices must be powered off and stored in the student’s backpack while on campus. Accessing or using a personal telecommunication device at any time during the school day, in any area of the campus, is strictly prohibited.

“Telecommunication devices” are those that emit an audible signal, vibrate, display a message, or otherwise summon or deliver a communication to the possessor, such as cell phones, smartwatches, wireless headphones, and earbuds.

A student who violates the telecommunication device policy will be assigned a disciplinary consequence following the noncompliance guidelines outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.

For additional information on this new policy, you can visit www.fortbendisd.com/devicepolicy and review a list of FAQ's dedicated.

Following the Aug 18, 2025, Board meeting, the policy manual and Student Code of Conduct will be officially updated.

This policy will start on the first day of the 2025-2026 school year.

Fort Bend ISD