In response to Texas House Bill 1481, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District has implemented a new “Away for the Day” policy for the 2025–2026 school year, which prohibits students from using personal communication devices. The policy requires that all personal communication devices, including cell phones/ two-way radios, smart watches/ glasses/ rings, non-CFISD tablets, iPads, personal computers/ laptops, any gaming device with messaging and internet capacity, headphones, earbuds, any other Bluetooth audio device, and any personal communication device not issued by CFISD be turned off and stored away throughout the entire school day to reduce classroom distractions and encourage a more focused learning environment. According to district leaders and early reports from administrators, such as Principal Dixon, the ban is already yielding positive outcomes, to improve both student concentration and social engagement on campus.
“…When you’re looking in the hallway or the cafeteria… there’s a lot more socialization going on, a lot more talking. … I think there’s some positives going to come out of it,” Dixon said. “But I think the positive is that there’s more attention. Students are getting to class faster… because they’re not on the phone…”
Increased screen time is linked to higher risks of mental health issues, with studies by the CDC showing that U.S. teenagers with four or more hours of daily screen time are significantly more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression than those with less screen time. Following the implementation of the phone ban, school counselor Tasha James observed a shift in student behavior.
“Social engagement… is always something positive when you’re dealing with mental health,” counselor Tasha James said. “People having those… conversations and just being around others. Not being connected to a device should have an effect on mental health or be helpful.”
Initially, many were skeptical about whether a phone-free policy could be successfully implemented and enforced. However, teachers across the school reported a surprising level of student cooperation, indicating that many students were also ready for a change. With the digital noise silenced, classrooms have become more conducive to deep learning and one-on-one interaction. In one example of the policy’s success, teacher William Powers commented on the new atmosphere.
“The hope is that the time not spent on phones turns into time spent on work and understanding lessons,” Powers said. “Everyone has abided by that policy much, much better, so it’s allowed the teacher to focus on helping students focus.”
With many students expressing frustration over the new cell phone policy, some see a positive side to the new regulations. In contrast to those focused on the loss of immediate contact, Sophomore Tegan Harris emphasizes that the shift could lead to more meaningful, face-to-face interactions among peers.
“It allows us to be more hands-on and face-to-face with other students and peers,” Harris said. “And it allows us to actually see the world around us, besides the screen that we are on 99% of the time.”
