Governor Abbott has taken a number of steps in the last several months to make Texas schools safer.
Governor Abbott Has Convened Special Legislative Committees To Examine And Develop New Recommendations And Legislation To Make Schools Safer. “Governor Greg Abbott today sent a joint letter to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dade Phelan requesting the Texas legislative leaders convene special legislative committees following last week’s tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. The special legislative committees should be charged with examining and developing legislative recommendations on school safety, mental health, social media, police training, firearm safety, and more.” (Press Release, “Governor Abbott Requests Special Legislative Committees To Provide Solutions To Protect All Texans Following Shooting At Robb Elementary School,” Office Of The Texas Governor, 6/1/22)
Governor Abbott Directed The Texas School Safety Center To Begin Comprehensive School Safety Reviews. “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.” (Press Release, “Governor Abbott Calls For Immediate School Safety Review Of Texas Public Schools,” Office Of The Texas Governor, 6/1/22)
Governor Abbott Instructed ALERRT To Provide Advanced Law Enforcement Training To All School Districts In The State. “Governor Greg Abbott today sent a letter instructing Executive Director Dr. Pete Blair to begin providing Texas State University’s nationally-recognized Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) programs to all school districts across the state, prioritizing school-based law enforcement. Governor Abbott also requested ALERRT to provide an after-action debrief of the shooting at Uvalde once the investigation is complete and of other relevant situations to school administrators, law enforcement, and others charged with keeping our Texas schools safe. … ALERRT is designed to equip first responders with effective strategies to respond to active attack events.” (Press Release, “Governor Abbott Instructs ALERRT To Provide Training Programs To School Districts Across Texas,” Office Of The Texas Governor, 6/6/22)
Governor Abbott Created The Chief Of School Safety And Security Position At The Texas Education Agency. “Governor Greg Abbott today sent a letter directing Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath to create the position of Chief of School Safety and Security within the agency. The Chief of School Safety and Security will be a recognized expert on school security and public safety issues, an effective coordinator of multidisciplinary teams, a resource to school districts and the legislature, and effective at implementing programs.” (Press Release, “Governor Abbott Directs TEA To Create New Chief Of School Safety And Security Position,” Office Of The Texas Governor, 6/9/22)
Governor Abbott Oversaw The Expansion And Acceleration Of The iWatchTexas System, Which Makes It Easier To Report Suspicious Activity To The State. “Governor Greg Abbott today sent a letter directing Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath, and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Commissioner Harrison Keller to expand and accelerate their efforts to promote the ability to report suspicious activity known to students, staff, and families through the iWatchTexas reporting system. iWatchTexas is a partnership between communities and law enforcement that makes it easier for the public to report suspicious activity in the state, including criminal, terroristic, or school safety-related threats.” (Press Release, “Governor Abbott Directs DPS, TEA, THECB To Expand And Accelerate Implementation Of iWatch Texas Program To Report Suspicious Activity,” Office Of The Texas Governor, 6/7/22)
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