Austin ISD Sees Spike in Student Safety Alerts on School Devices Following Texas Cell Phone Ban

Austin ISD reported over 8,200 actionable student safety incidents flagged on school-issued devices in the 2025-26 school year, the highest since data collection began. District leaders and researchers suggest this increase may reflect a shift of student behavior from personal phones to monitored school devices, following Texas' classroom cell phone ban, providing a clearer view into student wellbeing.