A new Texas law will affect our students in the upcoming school year. Please take a moment to read the important information below.
Dear Panther Families,
We hope you are enjoying your summer! Please take a moment to read the notice below regarding a new Texas law that will impact our students in the upcoming school year.
HB 1481 – Personal Communication Device Public Notice
During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, House Bill 1481 was approved, which lawfully prohibits the use of personal communication devices by students during the instructional school day and while on school property. This includes devices such as cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, radio devices, paging devices, or any other electronic device capable of telecommunication or digital communication. This law applies to all public schools and open-enrollment charter schools in Texas, including Lufkin ISD, and is scheduled to go into effect at the beginning of the 2025–2026 school year. To be clear, the bill does provide exceptions for students with documented medical needs or special education accommodations, which will be addressed in accordance with the appropriate plans and guidelines.
Currently, all campuses in Lufkin ISD follow existing cell phone protocols; however, the district will begin developing a more comprehensive policy that meets the requirements set forth in HB 1481.
Parents, we encourage you to begin discussing this new law and its implications with your student(s) to help them prepare for the upcoming changes. We will continue to communicate updates on our progress as we work to create a districtwide plan and policy.
As always, we appreciate your support and involvement as we move forward together in implementing this new state requirement.
Sincerely,
Lufkin ISD Administration
