greg abbott

Texas Governor Announces Effort to Survey Educators on School Safety Needs

500,000 educators will have the opportunity to weigh in on mental health, violence in schools and what they need to make their schools safer.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • March 06, 2020

In an effort to gather feedback on the largest school safety needs faced by Texas schools, Gov. Greg Abbott is sending a survey out to 500,000 Texas educators.

Following the May 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School that took the lives of 10 people and injured 13, the governor’s office has undertaken a “needs assessment” in order to determine how the state can help schools make their campuses safer.

The survey responses will inform lawmakers of “ways in which the State of Texas can further support educators' needs regarding safety, mental health, and violence in schools,” according to a press release.

Sam Houston State University and the Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University are overseeing the survey with funding from the governor’s public safety office. The survey will take educators about approximately 20 minutes to complete.

“The State of Texas remains committed to ensuring our educators and campuses have the support they need to address safety, mental health, and threats of violence in our schools," Abbott said in a statement.

He added: "This survey is a vital part of that commitment, and I encourage all potential respondents to participate. This will assist in our continued work to secure our schools and proactively address mental health among our students.”

As The Texas Tribune reported, it’s not yet clear if the survey results will be publicly available, how they will be used, or when the overall needs assessment will be completed.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

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