The Legislature's efforts have improved the security of K-12 institutions, but there are still additional reforms that can further safeguard Texas' youth.
School safety became a key issue in the 88th Legislative Session as a result of the Robb Elementary shooting, which claimed the lives of two teachers and 19 students. The tragedy brought into question the training of law enforcement and the security of K-12 institutions.
The After-Action Report (AAR) for the shooting, conducted by The Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center, revealed key issues that led to the tragic outcomes in Uvalde. These included campus security issues and an unacceptable period between the initial arrival of law enforcement and their contact with the shooter.
Similarly, The Texas House of Representatives Investigative Committee’s report concluded that “Robb Elementary had a culture of noncompliance with safety policies requiring doors to be kept locked, which turned out to be fatal." According to the report “if the door had been locked as policy required, the attacker likely would have been slowed for some period of time as he either circumvented the lock or moved to another point of entry into the building." Advanced recognition and resolution of these issues could have stopped the shooter or minimized the loss of life through the course of the incident.
In response to the shooting and the findings of these reports, the 88th Legislature passed a series of reforms to improve the security of K-12 institutions. Most of these reforms were passed through the omnibus school safety bill, House Bill 3 (88R, Burrows).
Download the full report.