What parents need to know about Texas' cellphone ban in schools

A Texas law limits what devices your child can bring to school – and how they can use them. Under House Bill 1481, all public schools in Texas must adopt policies that ban the use of personal communication devices during the school day. That means no cell phones, smartwatches, tablets or personal laptops can be used on school grounds.

Betsy Kennard, Psy.D., Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Health℠ and Professor of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern, shares advice and how to help your child adjust.

What does the new cellphone law in Texas require?

In June 2025, Texas passed House Bill 1481. Starting in September 2025, every public school in Texas is required to have a policy that prohibits students from using personal communication devices at school.

This includes:

• Cell phones

• Smartwatches

• Personal laptops (school-issued ones are OK)

• Tablets and any other personal digital communication devices

Will all Texas schools implement this the same way?

Not exactly. While all schools must follow the law, each school district must create its own policy.

Are there exceptions to the cellphone ban in schools?

Yes. Students may be allowed to use personal devices if:

• It's required by an IEP or 504 plan.

• A doctor provides documentation of medical necessity.

• It’s necessary to comply with legal, health or safety requirements.

Five tips to help your child adjust to the new law

Tip #1: Talk about the change

Start by asking your child what they’ve heard about the new device rules at school and how they are experiencing it.

“I suggest starting the conversation with, ‘What is your understanding about the new policy?’” says Dr. Kennard. “Letting them speak first helps you correct misinformation without overwhelming them.”

Explain that this is a state-level decision, not something their school made up – and that you trust your child’s school to follow the law and keep kids safe.

Tip #2: Help your child adjust

Problem-solving can help reduce any anxiety a child may have about not being allowed to use devices at school.

Ask your child:

• How were you using your device at school? Let’s talk about ways to manage without it.

  • Examples:

    • Who will you sit with at lunch?

    • What can you play at recess?

Tip #3: Expect an adjustment period

“It may take schools a little while to effectively enforce the policy. And it may take kids a while to adjust to not having their phones,” says Dr. Kennard.

To help get through the adjustment, Dr. Kennard recommends communicating with your kids about how it’s going.

Tip #4: Talk about media literacy and digital hygiene

For older kids, it’s important to help them reflect on our relationship with devices and the strong pull they can have on us.

For example, you might talk to your teens about:

• How social media is designed to keep us on our devices. Talk about how this can affect other important experiences.

• What “digital hygiene” means (for example, turning off notifications).

• The importance of social smarts.

• How to recognize manipulative content or content that is not real.

• How technology can affect mental health.

• How you feel about your own use of technology.

“Parents should be conscious about their own screen time behavior – and the behavior they’re modeling around their children,” says Dr. Kennard.

Tip #5: Create a family media plan

Use the implementation of this law as an opportunity to revisit how your family handles screen time at home.

“I always recommend that families have a tech plan or social media plan where you set clear, agreed-upon rules that stem from your family’s values,” says Dr. Kennard.

For example:

• To prioritize sleep (and all the mental and physical benefits of sleep), you might make a rule in your house around no phones or screens in bedrooms, especially after bedtime.

• To prioritize family time, set rules such as no devices at the dinner table. Consider designating an evening or a day of the weekend where you plan screen-free activities like card games, going for walks together or having a picnic.

• To prioritize friendships, plan screen-free playdates or conversation starters for lunchtime.

What if I need to reach my child at school?

One of the main concerns for parents and kids is how they will communicate in case of an emergency. To help ease worry, parents can:

• Ask their child’s school for their emergency communication policy (including use of phones around the building).

• Know that your child may be able to email you from a school-issued laptop.

• Call the school’s front office to leave a message or coordinate logistics.

As schools put this law into practice, parents play an important role in helping children adjust. By keeping open communication, setting expectations and modeling healthy device use, families can ease the transition.

Learn more

Children’s Health primary care doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists help children and teens manage feelings of anxiety, loneliness and stress – including those tied to screen use. Learn more about our Pediatric Psychiatry and Psychology services and our Virtual Visit Behavioral Health program.