The Texas Senate has approved a bill that would largely prohibit public school students from using their personal cell phones during classroom instruction. Senate Bill 2365, authored by Education K-16 Committee Chair Senator Brandon Creighton of Conroe, aims to address concerns from Texas educators about classroom disruptions caused by cell phones.
Senator Creighton cited national teacher surveys indicating that cell phones are a leading cause of classroom distractions, with over 70 percent of national high school teachers reporting it as a major problem. “Texas educators have increasingly voiced concerns about cell phones disrupting the classroom, and the data backs them up,” said Creighton. “During class, students should be focused on their lessons, not on their phones. By getting these devices out of Texas classrooms while instruction is underway, the bill ensures that teachers can teach without competing with Twitter or TikTok feeds or any other social media and students can engage without distraction.”
SB 2365 would grant school districts the flexibility to determine the specifics of their cell phone ban policies, but all policies must include exemptions for students with learning disability accommodations or medical needs.
Grandview ISD Superintendent Kirby Basham testified at an early April hearing about the transformative impact of their district's classroom cell phone ban, implemented last year. “Students no longer experience the buzz of constant notifications or the anxiety of missing out,” said Basham. “That cycle has been broken.” He reported that students felt less stressed and more present, and that lunch and hallways became more social environments. Teachers also saw significant improvements in classroom discipline and student engagement. Grandview ISD utilizes magnetically locked pouches to secure students' phones during the school day while still allowing access in emergencies.
Senate Approves Bill to Bolster Rural Fire Departments
In other legislative action, the Senate also approved SB 34, a bill focused on increasing funding for volunteer rural fire departments. Authored by Midland Senator Kevin Sparks, the bill seeks to address the significant underfunding of these departments, which cover 85 percent of the state.
Senator Sparks highlighted the financial shortfall, stating, “With an annual cap of $30 million, and grant requests often exceeding $43 million, the program faces a $22 million annual shortfall.” SB 34 would raise the cap on the Rural Fire Department Assistance Program fund to $40 million. The bill also mandates the Texas A&M Forest Service and West Texas A&M to conduct a comprehensive study on wildfire risk and mitigation. Additionally, the forest service will be tasked with maintaining a current database of all firefighting equipment in the state to improve coordination during wildfire responses.
