FORT WORTH, Texas — Northwest ISD, headquartered in Fort Worth, is the latest North Texas school district to ban cell phones from classrooms.
The district, which has 35 campuses and serves more than 31,000 students in Denton Tarrant and Wise counties, will begin the new policy at the start of the 2024-2025 school year on Aug. 14.
“Campus leaders met throughout the summer to align standards for cellphone usage in schools. These standards were developed to balance best practices for a strong learning environment with the need for cell phones during emergencies. These new standards will assist teachers by ensuring student learning is prioritized in the classroom and minimizing distractions,” a post on the district’s website reads. “Across all levels, students will be allowed to have cellphones in their backpacks, and cellphones will be prohibited for personal use during class time.”
The policies for the enforcement of the new cell phone restrictions vary a bit across campuses, though.
In the district’s elementary schools, cell phones, earbuds and smartwatches must be left in student’s backpacks at all times during the school day. In middle school campuses, cell phones, earbuds and smartwatches must be left in students’ backpacks at all times during the school day, but students can earn the opportunity to use their cell phones during lunch.
At the district’s high school campuses, cell phones and earbuds must be left in a student’s backpack during class unless a teacher allows their use for academic purposes. High school students can wear smartwatches and use electronic devices in the hallways during lunch and passing periods.
Northwest ISD’s announcement comes the same week Grapevine-Colleyville ISD approved new policies that will ban cell phones from classrooms across the district.
Last week, Keller ISD also approved a policy requiring phones to be switched off and put in a bag for the entire school day. Richardson ISD also requires some students to lock away their phones in a pouch throughout the day, the district plans to expand that rule to all high schools this year.
Last year, Mansfield ISD similarly approved a policy that required students of all ages to keep their phones put away all day.
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