The Federal Commission on School Safety released a 177 page report Tuesday with more than 90 practices and policies for school districts to adopt to keep kids safe.
It's meant to serve as a framework for keeping schools safe, though it acknowledged there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said the committee identified options policymakers should review.
It's in some ways similar to a framework Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) released this spring, which four North Texas superintendents discussed at a roundtable several months later. Today, two of them released statements in response to this latest federal plan.
"Lewisville ISD (and many other Texas school districts) already have a comprehensive safety plan as the new federal School Safety Report recommends. We are grateful that our federal government has contributed additional information and research to pair with what the State of Texas and local school districts have already done. All experts agree that a major component of school safety must focus on the mental health of students, which is also a focus of Lewisville ISD. While we have a plan in place, we are always looking to investigate new ways to advance security measures. We will certainly study this recently released report and determine what recommendations can be implemented and when. I am hopeful that both the State of Texas and the U.S. Government provide the funding necessary to implement the recommendations that reflect each local community’s needs and values," Lewisville Superintendent Kevin Rogers said.
Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa also addressed the new plan saying, "There is not an easy solution to making schools around the nation safer, but there are steps that can be taken. In order to provide safer school communities, strategies must be well thought out, must fit the needs of diverse populations and should include input from stakeholders."
He added that Dallas ISD continues to increase the presence of law enforcement on campus, identify ways to provide mental health first aid training, identify potential threats and encourage the community to anonymously report threats.
