It’s been one year since Texas banned cell phones in public schools, and some districts are taking the next step by limiting screen time on school-issued devices. Richardson ISD now caps passive screen time on iPads at 15 to 20 minutes per class for grades 7 through 12. Superintendent Tabitha Branum says the goal is simple: if students are on the iPad, it should be productive, not passive scrolling.

Other districts are moving in the same direction. Coppell ISD and Dallas ISD are considering or adopting similar screen limits, and Lockhart ISD launched an initiative to cut back on laptops and get students playing more. In August, Governor Greg Abbott called for additional statewide limits on school screen time, which lawmakers could take up when they return in the spring.

For families here in Waxahachie and across Ellis County, the debate matters. Screen policies touch nearly every household with school-age kids, and what starts in Richardson often spreads. Whether local districts follow suit could shape what your child’s school day looks like next semester. What do you think: should Waxahachie ISD set limits on classroom screen time?