Northwest ISD students will see a change to email access, educational gaming and their Parent Portal when they return to campus for the 2026-2027 school year.
Northwest ISD announced Wednesday the district will implement new technology policies aimed at reducing distractions in the classroom.
According to a press release from the district, elementary students will not have email access until third grade, and won’t be able to email each other. They will also not be allowed to access YouTube, online educational games or the Parent Portal.
Middle school students will still not be able to email one another, but they will be able to watch some educational videos. However, students will not be able to browse YouTube or search on the platform, rather they will have to be sent a link to a video classified as educational.
An increase in restriction to educational games will also be enacted for middle school students. All educational gaming sites will be blocked, but access can be granted on a limited basis, if deemed appropriate.
Parents will be able to see the browsing history of their student over a 7-day period, and they will be able to control student devices outside of school hours.
For high school students, email access will continue as normal, but access to YouTube will be restricted to only videos classified as educational.
In addition, students in Pre-K to first grade will only be allowed 20 minutes of device use per day and technology cannot be used as a reward or for free play, like indoor recess, for any ages.
Students will not have any required learning minutes on learning apps like Imagine Math or Delta Math and there will be no grades or incentives for time spent on those apps.
NISD will continue to block access to all social media platforms, games and Wikipedia.
The changes and enhanced policies come after the district received a lot of feedback from the community seeking more regulation of tech usage in the classroom.
“Following months of input from students, teachers and families, Northwest ISD has developed new technology safeguards designed to prioritize distraction-free education in alignment with community expectations,” said the district in a press release. “These safeguards keep students on task and provide teachers and parents with more support to prioritize learning.”
The new policies hope to continue people-focused teaching and learning, rather than a reliance on technology.
NISD believes tech can be a useful tool that connects the learning environment, but should be used at more of a balance than in past years.
“Technology should be used intentionally to enhance learning, not replace cognition, critical thinking or traditional instructional practices,” said the district. “[It] should support balanced, safe, healthy and age-appropriate learning experiences.”
NISD said it will also focus on more written content and literacy, as well as educated discourse.
Texas Legislative action banned the use of personal devices in public schools in 2025, which Northwest ISD was already prepared for.
Since then, other districts in the area have started to go a bit further.
Argyle ISD recently announced its plans to reduce technology in the classroom, as well. The district will buy more physical workbooks and stop giving out take-home devices.
Northwest ISD included a note about its position on Artificial Intelligence, which they say is allowed for students to use as a way to refine their work, but not to cheat or do work for them.
The safeguards, according to NISD, will be implemented across all district campuses, effective immediately.
For more information on the technology policy, visit the district’s website.
