Austin ISD responds to Texas’ new school security mandate

Austin, Texas - In response to Texas' legislative changes, the Austin Independent School District (AISD) has announced its intention to revise its security protocols in accordance with House Bill 3. This legislation mandates armed security personnel be present at all public elementary, middle, and high schools in Texas, effective September 1.

The announcement came during a meeting of the AISD School Safety and Security Committee, where Jacob Reach, the District’s Chief of Governmental Relations, detailed the District’s approach to the mandate. As Fox 7 reported, Reach highlighted the limited time available for implementation.

“We’ve only had about three months since the bill was officially passed to start planning for it,” Reach commented.

While the law allows for several security measures, including arming faculty or using volunteers, AISD has chosen a distinct approach. They plan to station their own trained police officers across the District's 113 schools.

“We do believe that Austin ISD police officers, with all the specialized training that they’re provided, is going to be what is best for our students and our staff. We don’t want teachers having to worry about do they need to be carrying a weapon on campus,” Reach explained.

Given the shortage in AISD’s police department, officers will be responsible for multiple schools. The current force includes 82 officers, with 43 specifically assigned to schools. To fully comply with the law, the department needs 83 additional officers. Yet due to the extensive recruitment and training process, this expansion may be time-consuming.

Furthermore, budgetary restrictions compound the challenge. While the state has allocated roughly $2.5 million for school safety in the upcoming academic year, AISD estimates the full cost of compliance at $8 million annually, plus initial direct expenses.

“We hope that the state will continue to consider the funding needs of districts and how if they’re going to have an important priority like this, that funding also comes along with it,” said Reach.

Additionally, AISD is addressing other legislative requirements, including mental health training, evidence-based threat assessments, comprehensive emergency response plans, and parent-focused firearm storage education.

With the enforcement date approaching, AISD is navigating a complex set of logistical and financial hurdles, all in the pursuit of student safety.

Credit: Austin Independent School District, Dallas Metro News, Fox 7 Austin