New Texas Education Laws Reshape Classrooms and Student Conduct in 2025
Key Points :
Prohibition of personal electronic devices within school time, with secure facilities available for storage.
Posting of the Ten Commandments in all classrooms from September.
Increased alternative to prayer breaks and new disciplinary sanctions.
Key Background :
Texas legislators have signed into law a series of school reforms aimed at changing the everyday life of scholars and improving classroom concentration. At its center is a new state prohibition on the application of personal electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches, in schools. Districts will have the responsibility of creating safe storage systems for the devices. The supporters are confident that the bill will decrease distractions in the classroom and help students develop healthier emotional and mental patterns.
State Representative Jared Patterson, who co-authored the bill, was optimistic that students would quickly adjust. He pointed out that previous generations succeeded academically and socially without technologies available at all times. Governor Greg Abbott also shared the same view, pointing to the increasing concern regarding the detrimental effect of social media on students' health.
Another prominent demand is for each public school classroom to have the Ten Commandments posted. The law, taking effect in September, has elicited a range of reactions from districts. Some already have started compiling posters, whereas others have waited until delivery. In instances when official materials are not available, use of privately funded posters is allowed under the law, as long as they meet certain guidelines.
In addition, school boards may now allow a minute of daily prayer or recitation of religious literature, though it is optional and subject to local option. This move revives long-standing controversies regarding religion in public schools.
Discipline reform in the schools is also noteworthy. The previous three-day time limit on in-school suspensions has been abolished, giving administrators greater freedom to adapt to the circumstance. First-time vape infractions will be less punitive, deviating from the automatic assignment to alternative educational programs.
Overall, these reforms show an ambition to shift the scholarly attention, incorporate moral and ethical reflection, and establish smoother systems of disciplines. The practical impact will be realized as school teachers, parents, and students adapt to these changes in the realm of scholarship.
About the Author
Mia Jones
Mia Jones is a Managing Editor at Education Excellence Magazine.