Neisd trustees approve 5-1 cell phone policy revision
Neisd trustees voted 5-1 on Monday night to approve a revised student cell phone policy that moves the district to a bell-to-bell ban starting May 25. Board President David Beyer cast the lone dissenting vote, and the district says it will meet with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath on Friday.
The board also agreed to waive portions of its local policy so it matches Texas Education Agency requirements. Trustees said the new rule will take effect on May 25, though the board plans to address the date again at its next meeting with an anticipated correction to May 29, the last day of the 2025-26 school year.
NEISD and TEA dispute
The vote follows months of disagreement over how North East Independent School District should handle personal communication devices on campus during the school day. In August, the board revised its policy to require students to turn off and store devices out of sight during class while still allowing use during non-classroom periods, passing periods, lunch, and before or after school.
Texas Education Agency officials then sent a corrective action plan in November, requiring a policy the agency said would be legally compliant with the state law. In January, the board voted to keep its current policy in place, leaving the district at odds with the state’s interpretation of the requirement.
Mike Morath report
Earlier this month, the Texas Education Agency released a special investigation report that recommended Commissioner Mike Morath appoint a conservator to oversee the district’s implementation of its cell phone policy. That recommendation raised the stakes for Monday’s vote, since trustees were acting while the agency was pressing for direct oversight.
Monday’s decision gives NEISD a districtwide rule that matches the state standard on paper, but trustees left one detail open: the start date still needs a formal correction at the next board meeting. For families and students, the practical change is straightforward. The revised rule ends device use during the school day across campus, with the board set to finalize whether that begins May 25 or May 29.
