Houston-area districts confirm A.I. monitoring tools on student devices as privacy questions grow

Houston-area districts confirm AI monitoring tools on student devices

Some Houston-area school districts confirm they're using software to monitor student activity on school-issued devices - including tools meant to flag potential safety or mental health concerns. FOX 26's Karys Belger has more. 

HOUSTON - School districts have monitored student activity on school-issued devices for years, largely through web filters, blocked-site lists, and device management systems.

Now, some Houston-area school districts confirmed to FOX26 they are using AI-powered monitoring tools to monitor activity on school-issued devices — technology districts describe as a way to support student safety and appropriate use of district technology.

What we know:

Humble ISD and Cypress-Fairbanks ISD responded to FOX 26 with details about what they use and why.

And in Fort Bend ISD, board records show this isn’t just a behind-the-scenes tech choice — it made the public agenda. A July 21, 2025, board agenda item lists a proposed purchase of a "Web Content Filter" and related modules from GoGuardian, with a cost listed "not to exceed" $1.6 million over five years, and authorization for the superintendent to negotiate and execute the agreement through July 2030.

What we don't know:

FOX 26 is still working to learn how widely these tools are used across the Houston area — and how consistent district practices are when something is flagged.

What’s not clear yet is how often alerts are triggered in each district, how frequently they turn out to be false alarms, and what specific words, patterns, or online activity can lead to a flag. It’s also not clear what data is stored, how long it’s retained, or who ultimately controls it once it’s collected.

That’s one of the biggest questions tech expert Juan Guevara Torres says parents should be asking.

"I can tell you, Bark is a very good software. But at the end of the day, I have a question here — who is gonna own the data that is coming from those devices?"

Crime Stoppers of Houston CEO Rania Mankarios says even if the goal is safety, privacy still has to be treated carefully — especially because the people being monitored are children.

"We go back to fine-tuning the tools so that we can use it appropriately for the time, and no matter what. Privacy, we have to be careful because we’re dealing with children."

What they're saying:

Humble ISD

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD (CFISD)

GoGuardian

GoGuardian responded to FOX26’s questions about how its monitoring and alert system works:

On 24/7 coverage and escalation:

On false positives:

On discipline and parent notification:

What's next:

Experts say parents who want clarity should ask their child’s school district direct, specific questions:

• What software is on school-issued devices?
• What exactly is being monitored (searches, documents, messages, browsing, etc.)?
• Who reviews alerts — and what happens after something is flagged?
• When are parents notified?
• What data is kept, for how long, and who can access it?

FOX26 has reached out to additional Houston-area school districts and vendors for more information and will update this story as more responses come in.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988.