Gov. Abbott directs TEA to provide strategies to increase public school safety

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday sent a letter to Commissioner Mike Morath directing the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to ensure existing school facilities are held to heightened safety standards following the recent tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

“In the wake of this devastating crime, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that our schools provide a safe and secure environment for the children of Texas,” reads the letter. “You should immediately prepare additional rules to ensure that existing school facilities are also held to heightened safety standards. We must do everything possible to protect children and safeguard our schools.”

Governor Abbott specifically requested TEA to:

Instruct school districts to identify actions they can take prior to the start of the new school year that will make their campuses more secure.
Instruct all school districts to conduct weekly inspections of exterior doors to verify they are secure during school hours.
Develop strategies to encourage school districts to increase the presence of trained law enforcement officers and school marshals on campuses.

Read the full letter.