ROUND ROCK, Texas — Nearly four months after Texas implemented a statewide ban on cellphone use in schools, a group of Round Rock Independent School District students met with district leaders to discuss the policy and its effects on campus life.
The ban, which took effect in September, requires school districts to prohibit students from using cellphones and other personal wireless communication devices during school hours. In Round Rock ISD, students must store their phones out of sight, with exceptions for documented medical needs and special education accommodations.
Several students said the policy has led to more engagement inside and outside the classroom.
“It’s kind of forced us to interact with each other more,” said Chloe Colon, a junior at Round Rock Early College High School. “We’re becoming closer and really making connections with people that we wouldn’t normally.”
Dawn Dickerson, a Spanish teacher at Round Rock High School, said she begins each class by requiring students to place their cellphones in their backpacks, which are stored at the back of the classroom.
“I really do find that having it just a little bit physically removed from them, with that backpack being in the back of the room,” Dickerson said. “It feels like it frees up their mind to do other things, both in interacting with their peers and in learning as well.”
Students who use their phones during school hours receive a warning for a first infraction. Repeated violations may result in teachers or administrators confiscating the devices.
Dickerson, who has taught at the school for 11 years, said enforcement has been easier than expected.
“Regardless of what procedures I put in place in previous years, I would be fighting against cellphones,” she said. “That just has not been the case this year. It has been a delight from the teacher perspective.”
Yanet Tilahun, a freshman at Round Rock High School, said many students may be adjusting quickly because their middle schools had already banned cellphones before the state law took effect.
Assistant Principal Denise Thompson, who oversees about 700 students, said administrators prioritized clear communication before enforcing the policy.
“I think when you treat them with respect and have clear expectations, they abide to that,” Thompson said. “It’s less confrontational, less friction … because nobody is trying to make kids feel bad. We’re just trying to ask them to work with us.”
Thompson said she has observed more social interaction among students, particularly in the cafeteria, and noted fewer behavioral issues.
“Now our hallways are almost completely empty because the students are not skipping classes … like they were in the past,” she said. “And now, we have less drama and fights at school.”
Some students raised safety concerns, including the ability to contact parents during emergencies such as potential school shootings.
Colon said the issue is particularly concerning for her because many of her classes are held in portable buildings at Austin Community College’s Round Rock campus.
“Schools like Round Rock and Stony Point, they have a building. They have more protection around them, but we’re in portables,” she said. “They can shoot a portable, and it’s just dangerous. It’s scary.”
Despite the concerns, Colon said she believes the ban has benefited students overall.
Thompson said the policy supports student focus and productivity.
“[Students] are paying attention. They are working. They are producing academic work. They are not getting distracted,” she said. “A school with a cellphone ban supports a safe and academically engaging learning environment, in my opinion.”