TEA- New legislative Updates for School Safety
DNA Kits
Senate Bill 2158 requires the Texas Education Agency to provide inkless, in-home, DNA identification kits to all school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, to be distributed by the LEA to the parent or legal guardian (upon request) for Kindergarteners to middle school students. The DNA kits allow families to work closely with law enforcement and appropriate officials to locate their child if the child becomes missing or their whereabouts are unknown. TEA will be providing further guidance on the process for distributing DNA kits and making them available for LEAs to distribute to families.
Warning Signs for Criminal Penalties
Senate Bill 1831, also known as the Julia Wells act, requires all public and private schools to post warning signs about offenses and penalties relating to human trafficking of minors on and around school premises. The Texas Education Agency and the Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force will work together to develop rules pertaining to the warning signs information, placement, and distribution of posters that will be used for this purpose.
Suicide Prevention Information
Senate Bill 279 requires that each student identification card issued by a public school to a student in grade six and higher must have printed on the card the contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) (8255), the Crisis Text Line (Text HOME To 741741) and may have printed on the card information for a local suicide prevention hotline, if available. Both resources provide free 24/7 confidential crisis counseling and emotional support on any topic for people in distress. LEAs should confirm the accurate contact information for printing these suicide prevention resource numbers on the ID cards for students. This new requirement applies to student ID cards issued after September 1, 2021.
TEA-Bullying and Cyberbullying Laws webinar
Monday, August 9 at 10 am
(SAVE Webinar in Partnership with the Texas Education Agency)
As we jump into the 2021-2022 school year, join Education Specialist, Kaitlynn Frey, to discuss the Texas Education Code Laws regarding Bullying and Cyberbullying, David’s Law, and the importance of the student code of conduct. Register here.
Criminal Justice Reform and its Impact on School Safety
Monday, August 16 at 10 am
(SAVE Webinar in Partnership with the Texas Education Agency)
This webinar will cover what changes have already occurred in the way we treat juvenile offenders and how highly debated topics such as total juvenile diversion could affect the safety of our schools in the future. Register here.
TEA-What are the Different Types of Grooming? Webinar
Monday, August 23 at 10 am
(SAVE Webinar in Partnership with the Texas Education Agency)
Grooming comes in many different forms and is done in various spaces of an adolescent’s life. Join Safe School Manger, Jenna Fondren, to discuss online vs in-person grooming, as well as the difference between an internet predator vs. a human trafficker and the techniques used by both to establish inappropriate and dangerous relationships. Register here.
2021 NOAA Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook Updated
An update to the NOAA's Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook was released today (08/04/2021). You can access the current updated information here.
Current and forecast information about tropical storms and hurricanes, as well as the latest Tropical Weather Outlook, can be accessed at hurricanes.gov.
The 2021 NWS Corpus Christi Hurricane Guide is available online in English and Spanish to help you and your communities prepare.
School Safety Contact
Elias Moya
Region 3 ESCSchool Safety
Email: emoya@esc3.net
Website: https://www.esc3.net/
Location: Region III Education Service Center, Leary Lane, Victoria, TX, USA
Phone: (361) 573-0731
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/r3esc/
Twitter: @R3ESC