Cellphone Policy
Abilene ISD policy limits the use of cellphones in all schools during the school day to ensure more focused and engaging learning environments for all students. The data from districts across Texas is clear: students at every level are more successful and schools are safer places to learn and work when districts take proactive steps to limit the presence of cellphones in our classrooms.
We are committed to guiding students and families through the transition. More information, including campus-specific protocols and expectations, will be shared toward the beginning of the 2025-26 school year.
Our goal is to create an environment where students can fully engage in their education while developing healthy digital habits. Thank you for your support!
Why it Matters
83% of teachers support an all-day, cellphone-free policy.
Students not using their phones during class wrote down 62% more information. They also scored a full letter grade and a half higher on a multiple choice test.
46% of girls and 43% of boys experienced a reduction of bullying after smartphone bans were enacted.
It takes 20 minutes for students to regain focus after a nearby cellphone distraction.
In the news: A North Texas high school locked up cellphones. Here's what happened – Dallas Morning News, New cellphone policy improves grades, test results at La Vega High School – KWTC Waco, North Texas school district requiring students to lock cellphones in pouches – CBS Grand Prairie
Yondr Bags
Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, AISD high school students will utilize Yondr bags - a lockable pouch where students store their individual phones during the school day after entering a phone-free space. The pouch is then stored in the students backpack for the entire school day, or until a student leaves the phone-free space.
When the student leaves school at the end of the day (or to commute to another AISD campus during the school day), they unlock their cellphone on the unlocking device mounted in designated areas.