HOUSTON — Smartwatches come equipped with several different features that can keep parents connected to their kids when their child is at school. The smartwatches have features that can mimic a cellphone, such as receiving text messages, phone calls and GPS. However, some districts are finding the watches to serve as a distraction to learning and a mechanism for cheating in the classroom.
Most school districts in the Houston area have policies in place for cell phones, but the student code of conduct does not always address the use of smartwatches. For the 2024-2025 school year, the Katy ISD Board of Trustees approved a new policy taking effect this year that eliminates the use of smartwatches in the classroom.
THE QUESTION
Is Katy ISD the first public school district in our area to ban smartwatches in class?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, Katy ISD is not the first school district in our area to ban smartwatches in classrooms. Alvin ISD first banned smartwatches and earbuds two years ago.
WHAT WE FOUND
Katy ISD is treating smartwatches the same as cellphones, the student code of conduct handbook refers to these devices as telecommunication devices.
The new smartwatch policy for Katy ISD does not allow elementary students in pre-K through fifth-grade students to have a smartwatch during school hours or on the school bus. However, the rules are slightly different for junior and high school students. Per the student code of conduct, "Junior high students are prohibited from using devices during passing periods but may use devices during lunch at campus discretion. High school students are allowed to use telecommunication devices during non-instructional time in accordance with campus rules."
The KHOU 11 Verify Team checked with school districts across the area to see if their rules directly address the use of smartwatches. Only Alvin ISD in our area has a policy enacted two years ago that bans smartwatches and earbuds while at school.
In Texas, state law requires all school districts to have policies regarding electronic devices, and have someone available to take complaints and hear concerns related to their use.