District-Issued Devices at HPHS

Texas House Bill 1481 requires public school systems to prohibit student use of personal communication devices during the school day on school property. Because personal laptops are capable of digital communication, they fall within the law’s definition and must be addressed in district policy.

Under state law, personal communication devices include electronic devices capable of telecommunication or digital communication (for example: cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, and other similar devices). District-issued instructional devices are excluded from the prohibition.

The restriction on personal laptop use during the school day on campus will begin in the 2026–27 school year.

 

We are currently finalizing the device selection in collaboration with campus administration. The selected device will be comparable to Macbooks and PC laptops when it comes to computing power. This will ensure students have the performance and functionality needed to support daily instruction and learning.

Parents will see an annual fee in Back-to-School Sign Up that supports instructional device use and includes device insurance coverage.

 

Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, the District will implement three new platforms on all district-issued devices for grades 5–12: Canvas, Securly, and a lockdown browser.

 

Canvas is a learning management system that will serve as the single portal where students access class materials and submit assignments for every course. It will replace other districtwide platforms and is widely used by colleges nationwide.

 

Securly is a device management system that allows teachers to restrict access to only those websites necessary for the learning objective. It gives teachers direct control over the content students access during class time and helps students stay on task when using electronic devices. Securly also provides internet filtering whether devices are on or off the district network and allows parents to set additional controls when students are using their district device at home. More information about these controls will be shared upon issuance of the devices.

 

Finally, a lockdown browser will be implemented to provide a secure testing environment for assessments taken on electronic devices. This tool helps reduce opportunities for academic dishonesty and the unapproved use of AI during assessments.

Internet filtering will continue when the device is used away from school. Families will also have access to optional controls for use at home. Additional details will be shared when devices are issued.

Elective classes with specialized computing needs (including Computer Science, Journalism, and Graphic Design) will continue to have district-provided devices available in the classroom to meet those needs.

The consequences for using a personal laptop during the school day will be the same as those for use of a cell phone or other prohibited device.

 

Yes. The law defines “personal communication devices” as any electronic device capable of telecommunication or digital communication and requires districts to adopt and implement a policy prohibiting the use of such devices on school property during the school day.

 

Because personal laptops are capable of digital communication, they fall under this statutory prohibition. There is no practical way for the District to fully disable communication capabilities on personal laptops.

 

Additionally, the law does not allow districts to simply prohibit digital communication. Districts must either prohibit students from bringing personal communication devices to school or designate a secure method for storing them during the school day.