A Texas House committee heard testimony Wednesday on the effectiveness of House Bill 3, passed during the last legislative session to mandate the hiring of armed guards at every school in the state.
Officials said meeting the requirement remains a challenge because of a lack of funding, with schools needing tens of thousands of dollars more than they currently receive. HB-3 raised the funding allocation per pupil and per school to help hire a peace officer to provide security.
“We increased the allocation from $9,720 to $10,000, and then the additional $15,000 per campus for their ongoing needs. That’s what a school gets now,” said John Scott, director of the Texas Education Agency’s school safety office in testimony before the Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety.
Still, Scott said the amount needed would have to be much higher: “It’s about $85,000 for a Texas peace officer per campus, and then $60 for Marshall, and about $45 for a full-time tutor. It’s a pretty complex issue, but most, if not all, schools have expressed a desire to see an increase.”
Educators across the state had expressed concerns about funding, according to Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston: “The state must work beyond putting words on paper and ensuring laws are enforced, but must also ensure a culture of constant vigilance is ingrained in all schools.”
For his part, Scott confirmed that about 45%, or less than half, of schools are in compliance: “That means they have a Texas peace officer on every campus, good cause exception sometimes. People see it as a bad thing, it’s not always, it may be that they comply with a good cause exception, this may mean they have a deputy sheriff or a guardian.”
The discussion comes as many schools report copycat threats following the deadly shooting at a Georgia high school.
“We don’t want threats to become background noise, because if that happens and everyone starts ignoring them as if they’re not important, as if they’re just another hoax, it can create a very dangerous situation,” Scott added.
Kathy Martinez-Prather, director of the Texas School Safety Center, agreed: “We need to continue to educate not only our students, but also our parents and community members that they too have a role to play as agents of change in their environment.”
Despite the difficulties and lack of funds, the director of school safety assured that only about 2.5% of the state’s schools are not in compliance with HB-3 at all.
– What are the key challenges Texas schools face in complying with the armed guard mandate set by House Bill 3?
Table of Contents
- 0.1 – What are the key challenges Texas schools face in complying with the armed guard mandate set by House Bill 3?
- 0.2 What challenges are Texas schools facing in meeting the requirements of House Bill 3 regarding armed guards?
- 1 Texas Schools Struggle to Meet Armed Guard Mandate due to Funding Constraints
Texas Schools Struggle to Meet Armed Guard Mandate due to Funding Constraints
The Texas House committee recently convened to discuss the effectiveness of House Bill 3, a legislation passed during the last legislative session aimed at mandating the hiring of armed guards at every school in the state. However, officials testified that meeting this requirement remains a significant challenge due to a lack of funding, with schools requiring tens of thousands of dollars more than they currently receive.
Increased Allocation Insufficient
House Bill 3 raised the funding allocation per pupil and per school to help hire a peace officer to provide security. According to John Scott, director of the Texas Education Agency’s school safety office, the current allocation stands at $10,000 per school, with an additional $15,000 for ongoing needs. However, Scott emphasized that this amount falls short of the actual requirement, stating that it would take approximately $85,000 to hire a Texas peace officer per campus, $60,000 for a marshal, and $45,000 for a full-time tutor.
Educators Express Concerns
Educators across the state have voiced concerns about the funding constraints, with Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, urging the state to go beyond mere legislation and ensure that schools are adequately equipped to provide a safe environment for students. “The state must work beyond putting words on paper and ensuring laws are enforced, but must also ensure a culture of constant vigilance is ingrained in all schools,” Johnson stated.
Limited Compliance
According to Scott, only about 45% of schools, or less than half, are currently in compliance with the armed guard mandate. While this may seem like a low percentage, Scott explained that some schools may be exempt due to “good cause exceptions,” which allow them to comply with alternative security measures, such as having a deputy sheriff or guardian on campus.
Timely Discussion Amidst Copycat Threats
The discussion on school safety and armed guards comes at a particularly sensitive time, as many schools in Texas and across the country are reporting copycat threats following the recent deadly shooting at a Georgia high school. The importance of ensuring that schools have adequate security measures in place cannot be overstated, and officials are urging the state to take concrete action to address the funding shortfall.
Call to Action
As the discussion on school safety continues, it is clear that more needs to be done to ensure that Texas schools can provide a safe and secure environment for students. Lawmakers, educators, and policymakers must work together to find a solution to the funding constraints and ensure that schools have the resources they need to hire and maintain armed guards. The safety of our children depends on it.
Keywords: Texas House committee, House Bill 3, armed guards, school safety, funding constraints, education, security, school shootings, copycat threats.
Meta Description: The Texas House committee discusses the effectiveness of House Bill 3, which mandates armed guards at every school in the state. However, officials say funding constraints remain a significant challenge, with schools requiring tens of thousands of dollars more than they currently receive.
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H1: Texas Schools Struggle to Meet Armed Guard Mandate due to Funding Constraints
H2: Increased Allocation Insufficient
H2: Educators Express Concerns
H2: Limited Compliance
H2: Timely Discussion Amidst Copycat Threats
H2: Call to Action
What challenges are Texas schools facing in meeting the requirements of House Bill 3 regarding armed guards?
Here is the comprehensive and SEO-optimized article on the topic of the Texas House committee hearing on the effectiveness of House Bill 3, which mandates the hiring of armed guards at every school in the state:
Texas Schools Struggle to Meet Armed Guard Mandate due to Funding Constraints
The Texas House committee recently convened to discuss the effectiveness of House Bill 3, a legislation passed during the last legislative session aimed at mandating the hiring of armed guards at every school in the state. However, officials testified that meeting this requirement remains a significant challenge due to a lack of funding, with schools requiring tens of thousands of dollars more than they currently receive.
Increased Allocation Insufficient
House Bill 3 raised the funding allocation per pupil and per school to help hire a peace officer to provide security. According to John Scott, director of the Texas Education Agency’s school safety office, the current allocation stands at $10,000 per school, with an additional $15,000 for ongoing needs. However, Scott emphasized that this amount falls short of the actual requirement, stating that
