At their regular meeting on Monday, October 21, the Belton ISD Board of Trustees adopted the district's legislative priorities and approved revisions to the cell phone guidelines.

The Belton ISD Legislative Priorities were shaped by input from our community, gathered through listening sessions with parents, city leaders, spiritual leaders, non-profit leaders, campus administrators, teachers, staff, and board members. This valuable feedback helped develop priorities that focus on improving the student experience, supporting teacher and staff effectiveness, and promoting accountability and transparency.

The Board of Trustees has reviewed revisions to the cell phone guidelines, which will take effect Wednesday, January 8, 2025. These changes update the guidelines for cell phone use during the instructional day and include an implementation plan. The district gathered input by surveying parents and teachers, holding listening sessions with teachers, students, and principals, and reviewing feedback from assistant principals to ensure consistency before finalizing the guidelines.

The updated guidelines vary by campus level:

• Elementary: Students are required to store their personal electronic devices, which must remain silenced or turned off throughout the entire school day.

• Middle School: Students must put away their devices, ensuring they are silenced or turned off during each instructional class period. At the discretion of campus administration, students may earn the privilege to use their devices in the hallways and during lunch as part of a reward system connected to expectations of being safe, respectful, and responsible.

• High School: Students must put away their devices, with devices silenced or turned off during each instructional class period. However, students will be permitted to access their devices between classes and during lunch.

Parents will begin receiving detailed communication about the policy this evening.