The San Antonio district risks being appointed a conservator to oversee operations if the TEA isn’t satisfied with its reasoning.
SAN ANTONIO — The Texas Education Agency has issued a formal warning to North East ISD, saying San Antonio’s second-biggest school district failed to comply with a new state law prohibiting cellphone use by students and missed a deadline to correct the issue.
State leaders say the district did not adopt a required policy and failed to complete a corrective action plan ordered last fall, placing the district officially out of compliance. NEISD trustees in January voted unanimously to maintain its version of the policy, which allows students to use their phones before and after school, during lunch, and during passing periods.
“It will always be something that they’re going to push and push and push if we don’t say no and do a solid no,” Trustee Diane Sciba Villarreal said at the Jan. 26 meeting, later adding that the TEA’s posture constituted “a blatant abuse of power.”
The TEA then struck back. In a letter dated Feb. 3, the agency said the district did not meet requirements under the Texas Education Code related to student use of personal communication devices.
Under the state’s process, the agency will now issue a preliminary report outlining its legal findings. The district will have 30 days to respond. If the response is not satisfactory, the state could impose sanctions.
Possible consequences include appointing a conservator to oversee district operations or installing a board of managers to govern the district.
According to the agency, North East ISD defined the school day using “instructional minutes,” allowing students to use their phones outside of classroom instruction. Other districts, however, define the school day from the first bell to the last bell, effectively banning phones throughout the entire day.
The district has not publicly responded, but confirmed with KENS 5 that they did receive the latest notice. Officials referred questions to the school board, which has yet to comment.