{"id":243591,"date":"2026-04-10T13:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/243591\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T13:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:03:09","slug":"after-uvalde-texas-acted-but-school-safety-readiness-still-lags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/243591\/","title":{"rendered":"After Uvalde, Texas acted \u2014 but school safety readiness still lags"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every year as we mark the anniversary of\u00a0the shooting at\u00a0Robb Elementary in Uvalde<\/a>, I think about the 19 children and two teachers who lost their lives on\u00a0May 24, 2022. I think about the parents who woke up that morning expecting a normal school day and instead entered a reality that no family should ever endure.<\/p>\n

In response, Texas leaders took meaningful steps. Policy moved. Funding followed. Requirements tightened. The intent was clear: never again.<\/p>\n

But in working on K\u201312 safety and speaking with thousands of school districts across Texas and the nation, I’ve learned a hard truth: Passing a law is not the same as\u00a0operationalizing safety. Funding a grant is not the same as executing a plan. And compliance is not the same as readiness.<\/p>\n

Requirements aren’t always understood<\/p>\n

Texas passed Senate Bill 838<\/a> \u2014 Alyssa\u2019s Law \u2014 on May 5, 2023. At its core, it requires schools to provide classrooms with silent panic alert capability.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s what I often hear in districts: We have an app \u2014 that counts, right? We bought something small, so we\u2019re compliant. We thought the vendor handled that. We didn\u2019t realize the rules evolved. Or we didn\u2019t know we still had funding.<\/p>\n

The Texas Education Agency\u2019s 2024\u201325 report<\/a> shows 13.47% of campuses lacked Silent Panic Alert Technology (SPAT) systems meeting key requirements, and 10.13% of districts did not have a panic alert system meeting all required components such as staff activation, 911 integration and location identification.<\/p>\n

Those numbers matter. But there\u2019s another problem that doesn\u2019t show up in compliance data: \u201cMeeting the letter of the law, but not the spirit of readiness.\u201d<\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve spoken to districts that technically meet the requirement but are not aligned with best practice. A panic solution available to only a few staff members. A system entirely dependent on personal\u00a0cell phones \u2014 even as phone restrictions increase in schools. Technology that works in a board demo but hasn\u2019t been tested under stress.<\/p>\n

Clock is ticking on state funding<\/p>\n

Texas has allocated historic funding for school safety. The Safety and Facilities Enhancement (SAFE) grant totals approximately $1.1 billion<\/a> across Cycle 1 and Cycle 2. TEA extended the SAFE grant period of performance to April 30, 2027<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Substantial balances remain statewide. Districts should spend these dollars with urgency \u2014 before they expire and the window closes. Unspent safety funds don\u2019t become \u201csavings.\u201d They become missed opportunities for readiness. If you are sitting on SAFE Cycle 1 or Cycle 2 money, treat it like a countdown: plan, procure, deploy, and document now \u2014 because once the end date hits, those dollars are gone.<\/p>\n

The School Safety Standards Formula Grant (SSSFG) end-of-performance deadline is April 30, 2026<\/a>, with final reporting due July 29, 2026.<\/p>\n

Many districts still have\u00a0SSSFG funds available \u2014 and some don\u2019t even realize it. This one is especially urgent. Unused SSSFG dollars will simply disappear \u2014 along with the safety upgrades they were meant to fund.<\/p>\n

Five tests for every school district<\/p>\n

Here is a practical challenge for Texas leaders:<\/p>\n

Classroom coverage: Can every instructional space initiate an alert immediately?<\/p>\n

Worst day: Does the system work under stress, with a substitute, in an older building, during a network disruption?<\/p>\n

Location: When an alert activates, do responders know exactly where to go?<\/p>\n

Adoption: Will staff actually use it in real life?<\/p>\n

Funding accountability: Have you fully mapped and deployed SAFE and SSSFG funds before the deadlines?<\/p>\n

Educators and administrators care deeply, and they want schools that feel calm, safe and focused on learning. But intention does not equal protection.<\/p>\n

As the anniversary of\u00a0Uvalde approaches, Texas has an opportunity to lead. We have the laws. We have the funding. We have the lessons. Now we need disciplined execution. When it comes to protecting children, \u201cminimum compliance\u201d is not enough. Time equals life.<\/p>\n

Heather Connelly, is a licensed professional counselor associate,\u00a0school safety expert, former teacher, Texas mom and national director of K\u201312 at 911Cellular, a leading safety technology company that works with schools across Texas. <\/p>\n

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