School Safety & Security

Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs)

Emergency planning and preparedness are essential to ensuring the safety of our students. Emergency planning can help schools identify and address gaps in procedures, empowering school staff, students, and local first responders to understand and manage their responsibilities should an event occur.

Emergency Operations Plans are state mandated and comprised of the basic plan, supplemented by the necessary annexes and appendices as determined by the results of the Hazard Risk Assessment. These plans must be submitted to the Texas School Safety Center for review and approval annually.

For assistance with EOP development, please contact a member of the safety team.

Handle with Care

Handle with Care is a collaborative partnership between first responders and local education agencies put in place to mitigate the negative effects of trauma exposure by providing campuses with a notification that a student may have been exposed to a traumatic event and to "Handle with Care".

This allows campuses to better serve students exposed to trauma, offer resources to the family, and can lead to a reduction in problematic behaviors associated with trauma exposure.

This service is provided at no cost to agencies or districts. If you would like more information regarding the program or would like to enroll, please contact Sara Suchoza at ssuchoza@esc11.net.

District Vulnerability Assessments (DVAs)

TEA must conduct a detailed vulnerability assessment of each school district on a random basis determined by the agency once every four years (TEC §37.1083).

A district vulnerability assessment will:

1. Assess facility access controls, emergency operations procedures, and other school safety requirements; and
2. To the greatest extent practicable, coincide with the safety and security audit under §37.108.

At the completion of a vulnerability assessment, a report is generated by TEA and reviewed with the superintendent regarding the observed best practices, suggested improvements and required corrective actions, and the TEA Agent conducting the DVA and the superintendent will align on the completion timing for the required corrective actions. 

District and campus level DVA rubrics can be located in the DVA Module in Sentinel.

For assistance with DVA preparation, please contact a member of the safety team.

Intruder Detection Audits (IDAs)

In compliance with TEC, §37.1083, the Texas Education Agency must monitor the implementation and operation of requirements related to school safety and security, to include safety and security audits.

These audits are completed by ESC employed inspectors and consists of three phases:

1. Intruder Detection Audit
2. Exterior Door Audit and Weekly Door Sweep Documentation Review
3. Classroom Door Audit

For more information regarding the IDA process or assistance with appeal/corrective action submission, please log in to Sentinel or contact a member of the safety team.

Sentinel Technical Assistance

Sentinel is the TEA's formal school safety system designed to collect, process, store, and distribute school safety and security information. Sentinel consists of four primary components:

• Statewide Programs
• Data Integration
• Tools and Resources
• System Supports

For technical assistance, please submit a support ticket through the Sentinel portal or call 817-740-7725.

Threat Assessments

The Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA) process is a critical component of the Safe and Supportive Schools Program established under TEC, §37.115. The BTA process specifically addresses the identification, assessment, and management of potential threats to school safety.

For more information regarding the BTA process, updated legislative requirements, or to request SBTA training, please contact Bradley Berry at bberry@esc11.net.

• Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) Website - The TxSSC is leading the charge on school safety for the state.  This site offers tools, training, EOP documentation, and much more. 
   
• Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) - Online Training
   
• Flashing Lights Senate Bill 30
   
• Governor Abbott's School and Firearm Safety Pl
   
• School Safety and Security Alert