July 2024 Safety Newsletter

The Safety & Security Roundtable Series are developed to bring District Leadership, School Safety & Security Professionals, School Based Law Enforcement and school district stakeholders together to keep our LEAs informed of training requirements, legislative updates and trends affecting school safety. The goals of the roundtables are to:

• Explore critical safety issues facing schools
• Identify potential threats, risks or trends
• Examine potential solutions
• Information Sharing
• Collaborate with local, county & state partnerships
• Improve the climate of school safety

August 20, 2024 - Register Here!

THIS WILL BE A VIRTUAL SESSION

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

August 20, 2024

9am-11am

This roundtable will focus on intruder detection process and how to address findings from the audits and other safety and security topics.

Emergency Operations Plan Development Workshop - Canceled

August 22, 2024 - 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Region 10 ESC - 400 East Spring Valley Rd.

Registration is now open. Additional information will be released soon.

Monthly 1-1:45 pm | 4th Thursday (CDT)

Join the meeting

Meeting ID: 283 320 778 806 | Passcode: 3dYqbX

🚧Safety Standards Compliance Assessment Open in IDA Dashboard

Proposed changes to the School Safety Standards

TEA announced last week proposed changes to the School Safety Standards. It is in a comment period now. See below for details and to get your comments in.

The following Texas Administrative Code (TAC) rule actions were filed with the Texas Register for publication in the May 24, 2024 issue.

Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter CC, Commissioner's Rules Concerning School Facilities, §61.1031, School Safety Requirements
Summary: The proposed amendment would implement Senate Bill 838 and House Bill 3, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, and clarify requirements for school safety to ensure a safe and secure environment in Texas public schools.
Resumen en Español: La modificación propuesta implementaría la Ley 838 del Senado y la Ley 3 de la Cámara de Representantes, 88.° Legislatura de Texas, sesión ordinaria, 2023, y aclararía los requisitos de seguridad escolar para garantizar un entorno seguro y protegido en las escuelas públicas de Texas.
Publication in the Texas Register: May 24, 2024
Public Comment Period: May 24, 2024-June 24, 2024. A form for submitting public comments is available on the proposed Commissioner of education rules web page.
Proposed Effective Date: September 1, 2024

Please see the TEA website to view the proposed commissioner of education rules.

Inclusive Emergency Planning Strategies and Resources for K-12 Schools

SchoolSafety.gov’s new issue brief highlights elements of effective K-12 emergency planning, including the value of practicing emergency scenarios and planning for individuals with access and functional needs. The brief also includes a listing of resources, trainings, and guides to support schools in creating comprehensive and inclusive emergency operations plans. Download and share this new brief with K-12 school leaders and personnel to help inform emergency planning efforts that may take place over the summer break or during the upcoming school year.

Enhancing School Safety Using Behavioral Threat Assessment (July 11, September 12, November 20) – These virtual training events, hosted by NTAC, will highlight key findings and implications of NTAC’s research on school violence prevention. Attendees will learn about the background, thinking, and behavior of school attackers and how some schools discovered and stopped plots before violence occurred. This training will also provide guidance on how schools may develop or improve existing violence prevention programs utilizing a behavioral threat assessment model.

• Technical assistance sessions
• An action plan will be created by Texas School Safety Center, which will be based on the outcomes of the technical assistance session.
• The Texas School Safety Center will issue an action plans to districts one to two weeks after their session. The action plan will support school districts with improving their threat assessment programming.

The Texas School Safety Center developed the Training and Exercise Toolkit to help school districts and open-enrollment charter schools plan for emergencies. The toolkit includes information from multiple organizations and agencies, such as annex and appendix documents, trainings, resources, and tabletop exercises. The Toolkit will be updated with new resources as more research is done.

• Records Transfers - Click Here for TEA TAA| Guidance Video |TXSSC Guidance Checklist
• See TASB Board Policy - FD (Legal) and FDA (Legal)

• District Audit Reports (DAR) | check status on the completion of the 3 year audit. The 3 Year Safety Audit Cycle began September 1, 2023, and ends August 31, 2026.
• TxSSC analyzed the results from the 2020-2023 DAR reports and created a list of recommendations to further help school districts pursue enhancing their safety and security posture. Download the Report.

EOP Training and Exercise Annex Toolkit

• Released March 2024

TAA Guidelines for Multihazard Emergency Operations for Individuals with Disabilities or Impairments

TEC 37.1086 required TEA to create guidelines that LEAs must follow when adopting/implementing their Emergency Operation Plans.

Fall, 2024 EOP Annex Submission

• Emergency Operations Plans

  TxSSC will request Multi-Hazard EOP Basic Plan and Cybersecurity Annex documents from all ISDs and open-enrollment charter schools on Monday, September 23, 2024 and the deadline to submit is October 23. TxSSC released the Cybersecurity Toolkit and Cybersecurity Workshop. This will be the only area audited in the EOP Fall 2024 as it is a large lift for school districts.

Wednesday, September 25 – Thursday, September 26

For the third year in a row, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will host the National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security. This virtual event brings together K-12 school leaders and practitioners to discuss and share actionable recommendations that enhance safe and supportive learning environments.

The 2024 Summit will feature panel discussions, sessions and keynote speakers covering topics such as understanding and preventing youth violence, protecting K-12 networks, youth online safety, supporting student mental health, emergency planning and physical security, and restorative and intervention practices. These sessions are designed to foster a nationwide dialogue on some of the most critical school safety issues, as well as equip school stakeholders and personnel with resources, training and best practices to apply in their local school settings and communities.

This free event is open to anyone with a passion for improving school safety but will be of particular interest to K-12 school and district administrators; principals and superintendents; school-based law enforcement; teachers and school staff; mental health practitioners; first responders; federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government partners; and other school safety and security professionals.

The 2024 Summit will be held on September 25 and 26. Registration will open in late July. For more information, please visit cisa.gov/news-events/events/2024-national-summit-k-12-school-safety-and-security.

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency School Safety Security Taskforce partnered with the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center to develop the K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit. This toolkit is designed to help students and community members report safety and wellness concerns in schools. It provides strategies and guidance for K -12 schools and districts to improve safety reporting programs and encourage bystanders to report any issues they witness.

DEA Resource for Parents, Educators, + Caregivers

• Get Smart About Drugs

The TSHAC has updated both the Health Education for All Texas Students K-12 Grade and the Opioid and Substance Use Prevention Resource for Texas Schools documents, which are now posted online. Visit the Research and Recommendations developed by TSHAC and Resources created by TSHAC webpages to view these documents, alongside all other resources developed and updated by TSHAC.

TxSSC Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Toolkit provides a variety of resources for school districts to educate parents and youth focused on the prevention of fentanyl use.

Crime Stoppers Fentanyl webinar information

Young adults will learn tips to start their own conversations and spot the signs that a friend may be struggling. Watch them on Instagram. To learn more, you can also read AFSP’s news release.

Suicide Safer Schools Roadmap

• Overview Document (click image)
• The Roadmap
• One District's Comprehensive Plan Template

TEA's Mental Health Resources

General School Mental Health Resources

Mental Health Resources Database

Mental Health Best Practice Repository

Virtual Safety Planning Intervention Training |Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative

Workshop teaches individuals how to help someone manage their thoughts and feelings of suicide in order to stay safe. 4-hour workshop on interventions that provides individuals with a specific set of coping strategies and resources to use at any time to decrease the risk of suicide.

• 8:30 - 12:30 p.m. | Oct. 24th.
• CEUs for multiple disciplines provided
• To register email suicide.prevention@hhs.texas.gov

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (National Strategy) and accompanying Federal Action Plan. The National Strategy outlines concrete recommendations that seek to prevent suicide risk; identify and support people with increased risk through treatment and crisis intervention; prevent reattempts; promote long-term recovery; and support survivors. Suicide is an urgent and growing public health crisis, particularly among youth. In 2021, 22 percent of high school students seriously considered suicide, with nearly 1 in 10 having attempted suicide.

A free, one-hour workshop designed to help caregivers support a child who has experienced loss. Participants should register for one session, as the same workshop is being offered in

English and Spanish on several dates listed below.

Monday, August 5th: 6-7pm CT Spanish

The workshop will be held virtually via Zoom. Register

Bullying

• Anti-Bullying Prevention Initiative that Works!
• New TxSSC Video: "A Parent's Guide to Understanding Bullying"

Summer Safety

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has information and resources on keeping kids safe this summer. With summer comes the opportunity for various outdoor activities. Exposure to the sun, excessive heat, and water can be dangerous without proper preparation and protection. Share this CDC webpage with parents and caregivers to learn about sun safety, water safety, and staying safe while at home, work, or play.

Texas Advancing Suicide SAFER Schools Roadmap

(Clickable Link Below)

• Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model | CDC Healthy Schools
  

Re-Entry Plans and the Law for school districts that have students returning to campus after hospitalizations or suicide attempts. More information TEC 38.351(i)(5)(A-B) and FFEB legal and local policy.

Suicide Care Texas Toolkit

Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health have updated their mental health toolkit. The updates include increased guidance on best practices, practical guidance on implementing the elements of Zero Suicide, and examples from organizations on their implementation plans utilizing this framework. To view the full update, visit the Suicide Care in Texas Toolkit. To view additional resources, visit the resources webpage and scroll to the bottom for downloadable documents.

• TEA Supportive Schools Division and Project AWARE monthly webinars
• Elevating Mental Health & Wellness- May 9th, 2024
• Supporting the Mental Health of Special Populations- June 13th, 2024

• TEA General School Mental Health Resources
• TEA Mental Health Resources Database
• TEA Mental Health Best Practice Registry
• TIVA School Safety State Initiative Mental Health & Safety Resources

2023 Discipline Data Validation Compliance Reviews

On Thursday, February 29, 2024, the notification To the Administrator Addressed (TAA) announced the 2023 Discipline Data Validation Compliance Reviews. The 2023 Discipline Data Validation Manual outlined seven indicators. LEAs may retrieve a copy of their PBM 2023 Discipline Data Validation (DDV) report to determine if any 2023 indicators were triggered by logging into the Texas Education Agency Login (TEAL) portal to access the Accountability application.

The Data Reporting Compliance Unit (DRCU) made DDV compliance review forms available to LEAs for download from the Intervention, Stage, and Activity Manager (ISAM) application accessible through TEAL on March 5, 2024. LEAs will have a 2023 Discipline Data Reporting Compliance Review form to complete for each indicator triggered. For questions about the reports, indicators, or their calculations, contact the PBM Unit at (512) 463-9704 or PBM@tea.texas.gov.

Student Discipline Virtual Professional Development Training: The TEA Student Discipline Training registration is now offered through TEA. The training is intended for administrators and PEIMS personnel covering discipline policy, procedures, and data requirements. This is the original training in which registration was held through the ESCs. You can register by clicking the following link: Student Discipline Professional Development Training for Administrators and PEIMS Personnel.

Student Discipline Technical Resources are now located on the Student Discipline webpage: Student Discipline Program Technical Resources and Samples

• The REMS TA Center’s Emergency “Go-Kits” for K-12 Schools fact sheet
  
• Bomb Threat Checklist
  
• Fentanyl and Opioids: Preventing Overdoses and Related Emergencies at K-12 and Higher Education Campuses
  
• School EOPs In-Depth: Planning for Large Events
  
• Preventing and Responding to Bias and Hate Incidents in K-12 Educational Settings: A Toolkit for School and Community Leaders

New Updated Website for ACET - Join Today

These templates are provided as samples only. Districts should contact their legal counsel to determine if this meets their district needs.

REMS are designed to reinforce behaviors and actions that support safe schools.

• Visit the REMS TA Center Calendar to find trainings, web chats, conferences, and other stakeholder activities and events on comprehensive school safety topics for K-12 and higher ed practitioners. All events featured are FREE to participate.
• Parent-School Partnerships: Encourage effective communication between parents and guardians, teachers, and school administrators to contribute to school safety programs.
• Timeless School Safety Strategies Fact Sheet
• Adult Sexual Misconduct in Schools
• More Safety Resources

Attorney General Releases School Safety Guidance and Makes OAG Training Available to SROs read the advisory, click here.