By Edmond Ortiz
North East Independent School District’s interim superintendent announced June 2 that the state will not be appointing a conservator to implement an even more stringent cell phone policy.
What you should know
For the last several weeks, North East ISD officials had been wondering whether the Texas Education Agency would appoint a conservator to ensure the district follows a state law that prohibits students from using their cell phone or other mobile communications device on campus, throughout the school day.
State lawmakers last year passed House Bill 1481, which orders public schools to implement a policy to ban students from utilizing personal telecommunication devices from “bell to bell” each class day.
NEISD spent much of the 2025-2026 academic year with a policy that prevented students from using their mobile devices except for lunch time and passing periods.
District officials at the time said they understood a desire for students and parents to want the option of instant access to a phone or device in case of an emergency.
But the TEA warned NEISD and other public school districts to take immediate action to better adhere to the new state rules regarding cell phones in schools.
Wary of a threat of a state conservator being appointed to NEISD, trustees voted in April to revise district policy to prohibit student phone use over the entire school day. The bell-to-bell ban will be implemented in 2026-2027.
What they are saying
Interim Superintendent Anthony Jarrett confirmed to district community members that the TEA rescinded its recommendation of a conservator appointment and now considers this matter resolved.
Jarrett thanked past and present board members, parents, students, educators and other community members for communicating their questions and concerns about cell phone use in schools.
“As we begin planning for the implementation of the new cellphone policy next school year, we will continue to communicate clearly about expectations and next steps to make sure students and families are in compliance, informed and supported,” he added in a statement.
