TxSSC
A Parent's Guide to School Safety Toolkit
2.10 School Safety and Security Committee
The school safety and security committee provides central coordination of safety efforts and assists with drills and exercises, school safety and security audits, policy development, and training. The committee is made up of school district and community partners that collaboratively provide recommendations to the district’s board of trustees and district administrators. The purpose of this committee is specifically related to ensuring the safety and well-being of the students and staff within the district. Each district has their own committee so that they can provide feedback specific to the needs of their district.
Who is on the committee?
The committee, to the greatest extent practical, must include:
- One or more representatives of an office of emergency management of a county or city in which the district is located.
- One or more representatives of the local police department or sheriff’s office.
- One or more representatives of the district’s police department, if applicable.
- The president of the district’s board of trustees.
- A member of the district’s board of trustees, other than the president.
- The district’s superintendent.
- One or more designees of the district’s superintendent, one of whom must be a classroom teacher in the district.
- If the district partners with an open-enrollment charter school to provide instruction to students, a member of the open-enrollment charter school’s governing body or a designee of the governing body.
- Two parents or guardians of students enrolled in the district.
Collaborative partners to support the committee may include, but are not limited to:
- Local emergency management
- First responders, law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services (EMS)
- Local, state, and federal officials
- Parent organizations
- Local health authority
- Community mental health organizations
- Building inspectors or public works
The size of the committee may be adjusted according to the size of the district. Collaborative partners are selected based on the knowledge and experience they possess related to the duties of the school safety and security committee. This committee meets at least once during each academic semester and once during the summer. A committee that is established by a school district that operates schools on a year-round system, or in accordance with another alternative schedule, shall meet at least three times during each calendar year with an interval of at least two months between each meeting.
Committee Responsibilities
Participate in the development and implementation of the district’s emergency plans by ensuring they are consistent with the district’s EOP and reflect the specific campus, facility, or support service needs that exist.
Provide, periodically to the board of trustees and district administration, recommendations to update the district’s EOP according to the best practices identified by the Texas Education Agency, the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), or an individual in the TxSSC’s Safety and Security Consultant Registry (a clearinghouse to track qualified third-party auditors for the state of Texas available to school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and junior colleges).
Supply any campus, facility, or support services information required to the district for the completion of their safety and security audit, safety and security audit report, or any other report required to be submitted to the TxSSC.
Review each report the district submits to the TxSSC to ensure it contains accurate and complete information regarding each campus, facility, or support service and follows the criteria established by the TxSSC.
Consult with local law enforcement agencies on how to increase their presence near district campuses.
Select where bleeding control stations are to be placed in schools, ensuring they are in easily accessible areas.
Meet together, following Government Code, Chapter 551, at least once each academic semester and during the summer. If the district operates on a year-round system, then the committee must meet at least three times per calendar year with at least two months between meetings. Meeting dates are to be included in the district’s EOP.
Take training on Psychological First Aid.
How do I serve on this committee?
If you are interested in serving on this committee, speak with your district’s superintendent, school emergency manager, school resource officer (SRO), or anyone who is on the committee to express your interest.