Interim hearings begin, TCTA testifies on cellphone ban in schools

The Texas House Public Education Committee met May 11, 2026, for the first of its scheduled hearings to discuss interim charges laid out by House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock).

Unlike committee hearings during the regular legislative session, committee members do not discuss filed bills but rather hear testimony about topics of interest to gather information that can inform future legislation. Typically, the committee chair will invite people to testify who work for the state in the relevant state agency and other members of the public who are particularly knowledgeable about the topics being discussed.

Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Salado) posted only two topics for discussion for this meeting: the state of education in Texas, and progress monitoring for House Bill 1481, the cellphone ban.

The State of Education

Commissioner of Education Mike Morath was invited to speak on the state of public education. In his brief remarks, Morath reviewed post-COVID academic outcomes, statewide enrollment trends and funding challenges facing school districts.

A state demographer was present to discuss the realities of declining birthrates in the state. As schools are funded based on student attendance, these declines represent potentially significant enrollment losses for districts and have already contributed to campus closures. The enrollment discussion led to a discussion of the recapture system which is also affected by enrollment. In many urban areas, property values have increased, but student populations have stagnated or declined, resulting in more recapture money being sent back to the state.

Rep. John Bryant (D-San Antonio) questioned Morath on the details of the state's College, Career and Military Readiness (CCMR) indicator, asking specifically how many students are ready for college. Morath did not have that number available, but explained that TEA uses a certain threshold on the SAT to determine whether a student is ready for college or not.

State Board for Educator Certification Chair Courtney MacDonald was also invited to speak about recent rule changes that will be considered for final approval at the State Board of Education in June. MacDonald spoke in more detail about strengthened reporting requirements for educator misconduct as well as investments in the state's teacher preparation pipeline.

Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin) and Rep. Bryant inquired about the number of uncertified teachers in the state, but MacDonald stated that SBEC's purview is over certified teachers, not the hiring practices of school districts and that she did not have that figure available.

Superintendents from school districts of all sizes were also invited to testify. Each offered a glimpse of the challenges in their own districts. Rep. Bryant asked each what proportion of their teachers are uncertified and how many of their students are college-ready; none of them could answer.

Cellphone Ban

Last session, the Legislature passed House Bill 1481, which requires school districts to adopt a policy regarding the use of cellphones and other devices during school hours. Districts were offered some flexibility in how to implement the law, but generally speaking, a district's policy must forbid device usage during class unless the device is necessary for special education or a medical condition.

TCTA president Vivian Burleson was invited to testify about how teachers perceive the effectiveness of HB 1481. She provided statistics from a recent TCTA survey; results showed that the ban is overwhelmingly popular with teachers. Most teachers are well-supported in enforcing the ban, and school districts where administrators are jointly responsible for enforcement tend to fare better than those where the teacher is solely responsible. Teachers reported increased engagement from students and that students in the cafeteria are actually speaking to each other again.

Despite these positive outcomes, many teachers reported that device enforcement has noticeably increased their workload, and that a lack of administrator support can make these bans untenable. Some have faced complaints from parents who want to contact their children at any time, too.

Future interim hearings will focus on the implementation of other major education bills passed during the last legislative session. TCTA will provide updates on those hearings as they occur.

Updates from the Capitol

Publication Date

Category

• Curriculum & Instruction