During the April 15 Board of Trustees meeting, Midway ISD leaders shared a progress update on the district’s review of student cell phone expectations. While no changes have been formally adopted, district committees and leadership are actively exploring options with input from staff, families, and students.
“There is good reason to look at this,” said Superintendent Dr. Chris Allen. “We’ve heard from staff and families who want structure, and it’s time we clean this up and make expectations clear so we aren’t setting anyone up for failure. The vast majority of our students, staff, and families want to follow the rules—they just need those rules to be consistent and easy to understand.”
The Midway Advisory and Strategic Team (MAST) and School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) have spent the spring reviewing the impact of cell phones in educational settings. Their work includes analyzing survey feedback from students, parents, and teachers, examining policies in other Texas districts and monitoring potential legislation at the state level. Early results indicate that most Midway stakeholders support increased limits on phone use during instructional time.
Dr. Allen also emphasized that because Midway ISD is a 1:1 iPad district, there is no instructional need that cell phones are currently filling.
“Because we are providing iPads, there is not a tech need for a cell phone that we are not meeting,” he said.
At the board meeting, trustees discussed the importance of consistency, student accountability, and modeling expectations. While teachers are expected to model appropriate behavior, Dr. Allen noted that some staff use cell phones for campus safety systems or operational needs.
Sample policies and draft expectations will be reviewed at upcoming SHAC and MAST meetings, with a final recommendation expected to come before the 2025-26 school year.
“We’re approaching this thoughtfully and with input from all sides,” said Dr. Allen. “This isn’t just about limiting devices—it’s about creating an environment where students can focus, teachers can teach, and everyone knows what’s expected.”
