District-Issued Devices

MIS & HPMS students will use a district-issued device during the school day. Per HB 1481, Personal laptops will not be permitted for use during the school day on campus.

This update supports compliance with Texas House Bill 1481 (Texas Education Code §37.082), which requires school systems to prohibit student use of “personal communication devices” during the school day on school property. The law defines these devices broadly as electronic devices capable of telecommunication or digital communication and excludes district-issued devices.

All students in grades 5–8 will be assigned an HPISD Chromebook.

Grades 5–6 (McCulloch Intermediate School): Chromebooks will remain at school and be used during the instructional day.
Grades 7–8 (Highland Park Middle School): Chromebooks will travel between school and home each day.

Click here to review district-approved software and apps.

FAQ

Is there a fee for the device?

Yes. Families will see an annual instructional technology fee during Back-to-School Sign-Up (BSSU).

Grades 5-8: $75 for a district-issued Chromebook. The fee includes coverage for one accidental damage incidents per school year.

These fees help offset the costs associated with instructional use, maintenance, and device protection. The district continues to fund the majority of the cost of each device.

What software will be utilized on school-issued devices to better ensure a focused learning environment and secure testing?

Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, the District will implement three new platforms on all district-issued devices for grades 5–12: Canvas, Securly, and a lockdown browser.

Canvas is a learning management system that will serve as the single portal where students access class materials and submit assignments for every course. It will replace other districtwide platforms and is widely used by colleges nationwide.

Securly is a device management system that allows teachers to restrict access to only those websites necessary for the learning objective. It gives teachers direct control over the content students access during class time and helps students stay on task when using electronic devices. Securly also provides internet filtering whether devices are on or off the district network and allows parents to set additional controls when students are using their district device at home. More information about these controls will be shared upon issuance of the devices.

Finally, a lockdown browser will be implemented to provide a secure testing environment for assessments taken on electronic devices. This tool helps reduce opportunities for academic dishonesty and the unapproved use of AI during assessments.

Why are personal laptops being restricted at school?

What devices are considered “personal communication devices”?

When does this change take effect?

Did the District explore other means of complying with the law?

Yes. The law defines “personal communication devices” as any electronic device capable of telecommunication or digital communication and requires districts to adopt and implement a policy prohibiting the use of such devices on school property during the school day.

Because personal laptops are capable of digital communication, they fall under this statutory prohibition. There is no practical way for the District to fully disable communication capabilities on personal laptops.

Additionally, the law does not allow districts to simply prohibit digital communication. Districts must either prohibit students from bringing personal communication devices to school or designate a secure method for storing them during the school day.