SAN ANTONIO — Texas schools will soon enforce a cellphone ban during school hours, impacting all public and charter schools starting September 1. Many districts are still working to adjust their current cell phone policies to what the state has mandated.

Up until now, individual districts could decide on the use of personal electronics in class. Now, House Bill 1481 says all public and open-enrollment charter schools will prohibit students from using them during the school day. That includes smartphones, tablets and smartwatches.

"The big difference is it was instructional time and now it is a school day with a few exceptions," said Beth Jones, assistant superintendent of San Antonio ISD's Office of Strategy.

Jones said they already have a policy in place where communication devices wou

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