Texas Governor Releases Report Detailing Progress on Implementing State School Safety Action Plan

For the last two years, Texas officials have worked together to come up with ways to improve school safety. Legislators made upgrades to the state’s school safety framework and provided funding to ensure all school safety requirements can be effectively implemented.

• By Sherelle Black
• August 29, 2019

Texas Governor Greg Abbott released a report Tuesday detailing the steps in which the Governor’s Office, the Legislature and state agencies have taken to implement recommendations made in the state’s School Safety Action Plan, which was released in May 2018.

"Because the safety of our students in Texas classrooms today is a top priority, I made school safety an emergency item in the 86th Legislative Session — and state leaders took substantial steps to deliver on this priority," Gov. Abbott said in a statement. "I am grateful for the bi-partisan efforts of legislators that led to significant improvements in enhancing the safety of Texas schools, expanding students’ access to mental health resources, and increasing support for teachers facing classroom challenges."

During the state’s 86th legislative session, which ended in May, state leaders passed 17 new laws and earmarked $339 million for improving school safety. 

Some of the efforts taken to enhance safety for students and teachers mentioned in the report include:

• Earmarking $5 million in the 2020-21 state budget for a project that identifies students who are at risk for committing violent acts at school
• Passing House Bill 1374, which removes the restriction on the number of school marshals that can be appointed per campus. 
• Requiring schools to contact parents when a bomb threat or terroristic threat is received
• Passing Senate Bill 11, which allows school districts to have access to $100 million for safety enhancements to its facilities like  metal detectors and active shooter alarm systems.