"The work and trainings provided by the Texas School Safety Center has reached 1,000s of schools and instructors, and has benefited millions of Texas school children."
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott today sent a letter to Dr. Kathy Martinez-Prather directing the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) to begin immediately conducting comprehensive School Safety Reviews to ensure all Texas public schools are following the appropriate procedures to maximize school safety.
In the letter to Dr. Martinez-Prather, Abbott instructs the TxSSC to:
- Ensure that all school districts' "School Safety & Security Committees" meet ahead of the new school year to review their Emergency Operations Plan and address any campus safety needs
- Ensure the School Behavioral Threat Assessment Team is trained and has reviewed procedures for each campus
- Ensure all staff and substitutes are trained on their specific district and campus safety procedures, and
- Conduct an assessment of their access control procedures
"The work and trainings provided by the Texas School Safety Center has reached 1,000s of schools and instructors and has benefited millions of Texas school children," reads Abbott's letter. "However, the tragedy at Robb Elementary School last week requires us all to do more."I am charging the TxSSC, in coordination with the TEA, to develop and implement a plan to conduct random inspections to assess access control measures of Texas school districts. Among other reviews, your team should begin conducting in-person, unannounced, random intruder detection audits on school districts.
"Also, the TxSSC should immediately begin working with my office and the Legislature on recommendations to improve current security systems and determine the funding necessary to continue the work of hardening our schools against outside threats.
"Texans have never shirked away from a challenge, and I know with the support of state leadership we can continue the work of improving each student’s experience in our schools," said Gov. Abbott.
Read the Governor's letter HERE.
