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Students without phones make better learners

By Daniel Murphy

Published August 27, 2025 5:00am ET

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Students without phones make better learners — A ninth grader places her cellphone in to a phone holder as she enters class at Delta High School, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Delta, Utah. Most schools have policies regulating student cellphone use at school. However, the reality is students don’t always follow the rules and schools enforce them sporadically. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

This year, teachers in Texas have more reasons than most to be excited about the start of the new school year.

On June 20, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) signed House Bill 1481 into law, requiring public and charter schools to implement policies that prevent student use of “cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, and other devices capable of telecommunication or digital communication—on school property during the school day.”

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Education Public Schools Smartphones Students Texas